Ireland is going to get more dangerous

Dermot Ahern, Ireland’s humorously named “Justice Minister” has announced that only criminals will be allowed to have guns in Ireland. The press release has a wildly inaccurate title.

Minister Dermot Ahern Outlines Handguns Ban
The first sentence, though, gets it right.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D. today outlined his proposals to ban licensed handguns.
The proposal is dramatic.
His proposals for radical reform in this area include
• no new licences will be issued for handguns.

• existing licenses will not be renewed unless applications fully meet the requirements of a radically tightened licensing procedure where the safety of the community will be paramount

• the Minister will keep under annual review, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner, the outcome of the licensing procedure and, if the outcome of that procedure leaves a situation which still poses an unacceptable risk to the community, will use new powers, which the Bill will contain, to ban outright any type of firearm.

Why is he doing this? His explanation makes clear that he is trying to cover the government, rather than defend public safety.
The Minister said “While I regret the need for these proposals, the reality is that if we were subject to a Dunblane type incident or stolen legal handguns were used to kill innocent civilians the present situation, which has not arisen as the result of any policy decision, would be impossible to justify.”
In short, it is all about appearances. If a person dies because he has no gun to protect himself is a counterfactual. The government can deny its responsibility for the death. But if there is a Dunblane style massacre commited with a licensed gun, the government will get the blame. This is about hidinng from blame, not protecting the public. Sack Dermot “Don’t blame me” Ahern. Sack him and his whole miserable government.