Joe Duffy slams caller who claims sweets kill more kids than guns in the US

On today’s show, the RTÉ host invited guests on to speak about their views on singer Don McClean playing in Dublin.

Some people are boycotting the concert as he is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Just over two weeks ago two teachers and 19 children were fatally shot by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos in Robb Elementary School, Texas.

Don McClean fan Ciaran Jones said his membership of the NRA shouldn’t cancel him from playing any concerts.

"The NRA is a perfectly acceptable organisation to a lot of people and I would love to know what Don McClean’s crime is,” he said.

"He is a member of an organisation that is perfectly legal and they have been around for a very long time.

“I’d defend anyone's right to protest but does the man not have the right to make a living and perform in Dublin to his fans here?

“He is entitled to keep making a living, the answer will be how many tickets will be sold and I will tell you now the concert won’t be cancelled.

“I’m not supporting the NRA but it's a separate issue of Don McClean performing in Dublin.”

Joe then said that guns are the leading cause of death in children in the US, but Ciaran refuted this saying it is sweets.

“That’s not true, far more children are killed every year in the States from eating sweets, choking on sweets. It’s the biggest killer of children in the States,” he said.

The presenter then said he did not know this, and later in the show looked it up to see if the caller was correct.

"Your nonsensical point about sweets killing children, I am looking it up,” he said.

"And the New England Journal of Medicine says the leading cause of death amongst children and adolescents in the United States from 1990 through 2020, in 2019 it was motor vehicle accidents, number one was firearm related injury.

"Put that in your boiled bag of sweets.”