A LIMERICK businessman has met with a senior member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet to discuss the introduction of new gun technology to prevent mass shootings and make America a safer country. Robert McNamara from Rathkeale visited the White House last Friday and met US Attorney General Eric Holder to secure White House approval on his smart gun technology. Triggersmart Technology, founded by the Limerick entrepreneur, works by radio frequency and makes it impossible for anyone, other than the authorised gun owner, to pull the weapon’s trigger.
Speaking from the US, Mr McNamara said he met with the US Attorney General at the White House while Vice President Joe Biden, who is said to be interested in the gun technology, was in the next room.
Mr McNamara is to travel to the White House again in the coming weeks to try and finalise a possible deal to get his technology in the marketplace. If he receives White House approval, it could lead to one of the biggest business deals ever concluded by an Irish firm.
Mr McNamara’s business partner, Pat O’Shaughnessy, from Newcastlewest, said: “It’s true we’re in talks with the White House. We’re hopeful but nothing has been signed off on yet.”
“One of the recommendations in President Obama’s gun policy statement is that he wants to try and examine the existing and developing technologies and that is the part of the White House drive that we are involved in,” Mr O’Shaughnessy explained.
Speaking from Georgia Tech in Athlone, Senior Engineer David McGuinness, who helped develop the Triggersmart technology, said: “Triggersmart came to us with the idea and we had the skills to develop it .”
“There is an electronic reader on the firearm and the activator can be placed in a ring or a bracelet so when they both come into contact, the reader will identify the tag and the gun can be fired.”
“The company were in the White House last Friday and they are currently in talks with investors”, Mr McGuinness said.
