Could the Minister tell us the number of offences in 1985 involving firearms and whether those firearms were unlicensed? Is there not a special problem in relation to the area of unlicensed firearms? I notice that the Minister has said that there is no widespread alarm, but in parts of the country and parts of Dublin there is considerable alarm about the availability of unlicensed firearms.

On the specific question raised by Deputy Woods, the number of offences in 1985 involving firearms, I do not have the figures for the whole year yet, but would refer the Deputy to an answer which I gave to a question some weeks ago in the House which dealt with the matter.

I know the figure for 1984, which is 229.

This is a separate question.

Not really, a Cheann Comhairle.

It is. You asked about minimum penalties.

That is what I am coming to. Is it not the supply of unlicensed firearms that is the key problem at the moment? In each of the 229 cases in 1984 in which firearms were involved, these were all unlicensed. Would the Minister look at that aspect as a follow-up to my question? Something would need to be done with regard to these unlicensed firearms.

If the Deputy is talking about penalties, let me remind him that the maximum penalty for possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances is ten years' imprisonment. I do not think the Deputy is suggesting that there should be a smaller penalty in the event of an offence involving a licensed firearm. However, I accept the point that there is a difficulty in relation to the supply of firearms for the criminal fraternity. This is a matter to which the Garda have been devoting a considerable amount of attention in recent months.

It is a serious and alarming situation.