Gardaí in Co Kerry confiscated a firearm from Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae, it has emerged.
The move followed the airing of a documentary about the Healy-Rae family in 2013, in which the politician was shown firing a rifle at a target.
The gun was returned after Healy-Rae made representations to the force. He argued it had been improperly seized due to a misunderstanding of the law, sources said.
Healy-Rae is a vocal supporter of legal gun ownership, including for self-defence. In a documentary that aired on RTÉ on Wednesday, he said he “would have guns in my possession at all times” and that “gun ownership is important to me”.
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He also said he would have no issue with using a gun on an intruder in his home.
“If they’re charging up the stairs to come at you, and you are in possession of a legally held firearm, well, the person that goes up your stairs, as far as I’m concerned, if they go down that stairs in a box, no problem,” he said.
“Because they knew what they were doing when they entered into your house. It’s all bets off.”
Healy-Rae has previously advocated for expanding the law to allow firearms owners to use their guns in self-defence.
In 2013, two years after he was first elected as a TD, Healy-Rae took part in a TV3 programme called At Home with the Healy-Raes.
“I like shooting, I like guns, I have to be honest about it,” he told host Ciara Doherty before describing the three firearms he owned at that point.
He then fired the gun at a target mounted on a tree on the grounds of a farm. His youngest son, Kevin, also fired at the target, as did Doherty.
A short time after the programme aired, gardaí visited the Healy-Rae farm and asked to see the weapon before removing it from the property, it is understood.
The decision was based on a senior local garda’s opinion that it was being used in contravention of the licence under which it was owned. The exact basis for that decision is unclear.
Ireland has some of the strictest firearms laws in Europe and local gardaí have broad powers to grant and revoke licences and to seize licensed guns.
The weapon used by Healy-Rae in the programme resembled a Heckler and Koch MP5 submachine gun, which is widely used by military and police special forces, including at one time by the Defence Forces’ Army Ranger wing.
However, the firearm was a replica of this gun and capable of only firing in semi-automatic mode. It was chambered for low-powered .22 rounds instead of the more powerful 9mm rounds fired by the MP5.
Healy-Rae had obtained the gun legally and held it under a valid firearms licence. He is not accused of any illegality.
It is understood that some time after the seizure, Healy-Rae applied for the gun’s return. This was granted and it remains in his possession.
The TD declined to comment when contacted, except to say all firearms in his possession are legally held and licensed.
A Garda spokesman said the force does not comment on named individuals.
