Gun culture - Amnesty on illegal firearms long overdue

GIVEN Ireland’s spiralling gun culture, matched by an explosion of murders in drug wars between rival gangs, an amnesty on illegal firearms is long overdue.

Gardaí are confident that more than 3,000 illegal firearms and over 70,000 rounds of ammunition will be netted in advance of tough new anti-gun laws due to come into force before the summer.

Under the Criminal Justice Bill, automatic penalties for weapons offences will include minimum jail terms of between five and 10 years.