Massacre shows gun control is a must

The massacre at a US primary school will unite families everywhere in grief.

The death toll of 28, most of them children, ranks among the most horrific attacks ever carried out on innocent children, even by American standards, and brings home forcefully the madness of attitudes to guns there.

In a society where a litany of schoolchildren have been slaughtered by lunatics, there can be no justifying the free-for-all policies on guns in certain states where they can be easily bought. It defies credulity that some legislatures are now planning to consider allowing employees to bring guns to work.

This shocking tragedy is also a timely reminder of the crucial importance of Ireland’s strict gun laws. Given the lessons of Irish history and considering the current surge in violent crime, it is vital that guns never become freely available in a country where the garda on the beat is unarmed.