A government-appointed expert group has produced two reports recommending a series of reforms to Ireland’s firearms licensing system.
The Firearms Expert Committee, chaired by solicitor Emma Meagher Neville, was established by the Minister for Justice in June 2022 to examine the current approach to licensing guns in Ireland.
According to recent estimates, there are over 200,000 firearm certificates currently in force across the country.
The committee noted that unease around public safety concerns had to be balanced with the concerns of the shooting community, “the vast majority of whom possess their firearms in a responsible and safe manner”.
Firearms
The committee said that parts of the licensing system should be brought online and the current practice of issuing individual certificates for each firearm should be revised.
The report says that firearms certificates should be made more durable and include the holder’s photo.
It adds that the duration of firearms certificates and hunting permits should be aligned, so when hunting permits are submitted in support of an application for a firearm they remain in force for the same period.
The committee said the current licensing process should be examined for delays or issues with lost paperwork and if this is the case measures such as the issuing of receipts when applications are made should be introduced.
Specific training should be provided for all staff involved in overseeing firearms legislation, the report said.
The expert group also said a non-judicial appeals mechanism should be established for licensing decisions.
The process for refusing a firearms license application should be modified to include a letter of intent to refuse that is issued prior to a refusal decision in order to allow the applicant to provide any further relevant information that may impact on a licensing decision, as is the case in Northern Ireland.
Licensing
The committee suggested the introduction of different types of firearms certificates that would be aligned with the purpose for which the gun has been sought.
This would require the introduction of several different firearm certificates such as:
- Target-shooting-only certificate. This certificate would be issued to firearms holders who only wish to engage in target shooting, including clay target shooting. It would be supported by membership of an authorised shooting club;
- Limited hunting and shooting wildlife certificate. This certificate would be issued to firearms holders for primary use on their own land or land when they have direct relationship with the landowner or rights owner. It would replace the current limited certificate to permit the use of a shotgun or rifle at certain locations expressed on the certificate;
- Hunting and shooting wildlife certificate. This certificate would be issued to firearms holders for hunting and pest and predator control at various locations in Ireland. It would be issued to holders who have access to or wish to be able to access land though membership of an authorised club or land where they do not have direct relationship with the landowner or rights owner.
The committee also said that certificates should include that a firearm may only be used for the purpose for which it has been granted and cannot be used without appropriate insurance.
When not in use the gun must be stored securely and in accordance with legislation.
The committee said some discretionary conditions may need to be applied on a case-by-case basis, but added that the scope of these conditions should be narrow so that certificate holders are generally subject to the same standards.
The report does not recommend that a limit be applied on the number and type of firearms a person may hold.
However, it says legislation should be amended that aligns the security arrangements required when a person owns a significant number of guns with those of a registered firearms dealer.
The committee recommends that it should be explicitly clear to certificate holders that firearms may only be used to hunt on land on which the person, or their club, has permission to shoot.
They note that some landowners would only provide verbal permission to shoot on their lands but said it would be preferable if written permission was given so it can be easily verified by An Garda Síochána that the hunter is complying with the Wildlife Act.
It is also recommended in the report that hunting and game clubs should be subject to authorisation by gardaí.
Club membership should be required when a firearm is sought for the purpose of recreational hunting or game shooting.
However, gun club membership should not be required for those who are seeking a firearm to hunt or control pests and predators on their own land or at a limited number of locations for which they have permission from landowners who are known to them.
Applicants
The committee said there should be a more uniform approach taken to determining an individual’s competence in the use of firearms.
They say that first-time applicants for all firearms should be required to undertake appropriate training.
It is recommended that a graduated approach to the licensing of first-time licence applicants should be taken through the introduction of a provisional firearms certificate.
Gardaí should routinely check the condition of the licences of first-time applicants or applicants seeking to use new calibres of firearms.
The report also says that consideration be given to devising a national training programme for those that wish to engage in nighttime shooting.
Legislation should require a firearm certificate holder to spend a minimum number of hours using that gun on a range each year in order for their certificate to remain valid or to be eligible for a renewal, the group said.