A BAN on handguns was signalled by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.

He said that the increasing prevalence of handguns had not come about as a result of any deliberate policy decision by the Government or the House.

"That situation is clearly unsatisfactory and I will be bringing forward effective proposals to deal comprehensively with it," he added.

"There is simply no excuse for the type of gangland activities which we have witnessed. Members of gangs bear complete responsibility for their deeds."

He said he had previously made clear his concern at the number and type of handguns being licensed and a review of the firearms laws was at its final stages.

"My bottom line is this: while I recognise that the vast majority of handgun owners are responsible people, as Minister my concern is the safety of the public, particularly at a time of concern about gun crime," said Mr Ahern.

"I will make a detailed statement in the near future on this matter." He asked if they wanted "as a country to go down the road of America, Finland and others, where there is a proliferation of handguns".

The Minister was speaking during a debate on a Fine Gael Private Members' motion calling for action on crime, following the recent murder of Shane Geoghegan in Limerick.

Mr Ahern said that from the early 1970s, in the light of the Northern troubles, all handguns were banned in the Republic until a few years ago.

Following a series of judicial decisions, that was no longer the case, although there was no public policy decision to lift the ban, he added.

Mr Ahern said that in the longer term, they risked condemning future generations if they did not face up to the deep-seated social problems which had beset parts of Limerick.

He said that work was ongoing on the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and Sampling) Bill providing for the establishment of a DNA database for criminal investigation purposes. He expected to be able to publish the Bill in the new year.

Proposals for a covert surveillance Bill had been approved by the Government earlier in the day, he added.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagansaid that criminal gangs would not prosper in the State if they did not have easy access to drugs.

"The Government likes to point the finger at Foxrock and abdicate its own responsibility in this regard," he added.

"However, the bottom line is Ireland is internally seen as a soft touch when it comes to the importation of drugs. With one Customs boat, one mobile X-ray scanner and a handful of sniffer dogs, this is no surprise."

Mr Flanagan said that while that gross oversight remained, criminal gangs would prosper, innocent victims would be murdered and the Government would have failed the Irish people.

Labour spokesman Pat Rabbittesaid that senior Garda appointments should be taken out of the domain of party politics.

"This single decision would give more impetus to the dynamic for genuine change than any of the reforms to date which have met with such mixed success," he added.