Anything that helps to reduce the incidence of violent crime in our society is to be welcomed. In that regard, a two-month firearms and offensive weapons amnesty, which starts today under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act of 2006, can only contribute to a more law-abiding society. It will not, however, address the core security problem of the armed criminal gangs and paramilitary organisations which are heavily involved in drug-dealing and violent crime.
On the basis of experience in Britain and Northern Ireland, the amnesty is likely to turn up old, unlicensed guns that have been kept for years in attics and sheds, along with knives and other offensive weapons. The exercise is designed to encourage people to clear their homes of these weapons before new laws relating to firearms offences take effect at the end of next month. From then on, the possession of unlicensed guns will attract automatic prison sentences in certain circumstances.
In a three-year period to 2004, some 1,330 firearms were stolen in this State. And while many of those would have been properly licensed, others were not. The great majority of the thefts involved shotguns. And a percentage of these would have found their way into the possession of criminal gangs. By tightening up the licensing and control of these weapons, in addition to the provision of an amnesty, the authorities would hope to choke off this particular supply route.
It is only right that the terms of the amnesty will not offer immunity from prosecution. All the guns handed in will be examined as a matter of course by ballistics experts. And if a weapon is found to have been used in the commission of a crime, then the person who surrenders it to the Garda Síochána will face questioning and possible prosecution.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors initially questioned the usefulness of this amnesty. But it now accepts that it can make a contribution. However, the public relations exercise involved should not distract attention - or remove financial resources - from Operation Anvil, the most extensive Garda surveillance exercise in recent years tasked with targeting criminal gangs. Since it was established last year, it has led to the seizure of about 700 firearms, caused a reduction in the number of armed robberies and broken up two major drug gangs. The Garda know the identity of many of these criminals. But it sometimes takes intensive surveillance over many months to disrupt their operations and provide the evidence needed to put them in jail. That is where the focus of policing must remain.