THE Government is considering an amnesty for illegally held arms the Taoiseach said. Mr Bruton was replying to Mr Dermot Ahern (FF, Louth).

Meanwhile, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, said legal issues arising from the report of the international body on decommissioning, including the question of legislation that might be necessary in the context of an arms amnesty, were currently being examined by her Department in consultation with the office of the Attorney General.

Replying to Mr Gerard Collins (FF, Limerick West) she said 195,188 firearm certificates had been issued to residents of the State by the Garda for the year ending July 1995.