As you are aware by now, new legislation has come into force in relation to firearms, this will effect you, therefore it is important to be aware of the requirements necessary to allow you  apply for you existing firearm using the form FCA1.

This form is available from your Garda station or you may download it from the Garda website at  www.garda.ie (a link to the Garda website section which relates to the new requirements)

A sample completed form for those who are reapplying for their existing firearm is available here and an information sheet which will be of benefit to you as information - is displayed below. My thanks to Dec Crofton of the NARGC for this data.
 
If you are applying for a silencer/moderator, there are both the same, tick the appropriate box on the form but also attach an explanatory note on the reasons you require it.  
 
As the legal hunting season is just a few days away, please ensure that you are covered by the necessary insurance cover as part of the Leinster Branch, this is the NARGC compensation fund. Contact me if you require further information.
 
Also remember be safe and be seen, at least by other hunters.
 
Regards
Larry Taaffe
Hon Sec
Leinster Branch
IDS

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 Firearms Information Sheet

The Firearms Miscellaneous Bill has now been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas and as at the time of writing this report, the President is due to sign it into law in or around July 20th..  Section 28 will be commenced from 1st August and this will give effect to the new three year licence and all the arrangements for that.  All licenses will be extended from between a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 12 months by letter from the Garda Commissioner to each license holder.  These letters should begin issuing next week.  Therefore, the first three year licence will issue with effect from November 1st.  All renewals will be staggered on a random basis and application to renew certificates may in future be made three months prior to expiry of the old licence.  

The European Firearms Pass will now also be for 3 years, expiring on the same day as the licence.  This will improve the situation for shooters travelling abroad.

The new training licence for 14 year olds will also become available with the first of the new 3 year licences i.e. from November 1st.

All licence fee payments will be made through the post office, either by post, credit transfer or personal visit.  As I have reported already, the fee for the three year licence will be €80.  

A new application form will be used for all purposes i.e. renewal, first application, change of firearm, training licence etc.  All requirements have been incorporated on one form.  I have heard much misinformation about the new form but specifically that it runs to 9 pages, the implication being that licence holders will have to complete 9 pages.  This is incorrect.  Firstly, the final three pages are not for licence holders to fill in, but for members of an Garda Siochana.  Secondly, most of the other 6 pages will not require to be completed by the majority of licence holders e.g. the sections dealing with training licence applications, transfer/substitution of firearms, new firearms, medical/health issues, proof of competence, source of firearm, shooting ranges etc.  There is absolutely no need for anyone to be concerned with the fact that the document contains 9 pages simply because, as I have demonstrated, no one will be filling in 9 pages.  The new form will be available for downloading from the new Garda web site which is ready and scheduled to go online with effect from August 1st at the latest.

The new licence will be a credit card type.  I have not as yet seen a sample but I have no reason to believe it will be anything special.  As with the old paper licence, the new licence will carry the amount of ammunition allowed.  Because the new licence by it’s type will not allow ammunition amounts to be amended after it is issued, the renewal/application form includes a section for licence holders to submit the amounts they require.  As a general guideline, I managed to get agreement to increase the allocations generally across the range of firearm types and these amounts are advised in the new Commissioners Guidelines as follows:

“The Following broad guidance may be viewed as reasonable for the following four categories of shooters:

    * Farmer (one shotgun for vermin/pest control)                  100 rounds
    * Deer Gun                                                                    200 – 260 rounds
    * Shotgun for clay pigeon, pheasant/pigeon/woodcock etc  500 – 700 rounds
    * Target Shooter (member of authorised club)                   750 – 1,000 rounds

Notwithstanding these general guideline allocations, it is up to each Superintendent to deal with each request on it’s merits and therefore it is possible to have more than the above amounts.  The important thing to remember is to indicate the amount you require on the application/renewal form.

Some people have expressed concern that due regard is not given to gun (game) club membership when an individual is applying for or renewing a firearms licence.  The application form specifically mentions authorised target clubs simply because to get any gun for target shooting, the applicant must be a member of a club which is authorised by the Garda Commissioner. 

Unlike target clubs, game and clay pigeon clubs do not have to be authorised to exist - they are exempt.  However, the application form does require an applicant who is not a member of an authorised target club to state and “specify” what “other” club membership he/she is claiming.  Furthermore, “good reason” for requiring a firearm is cited in no less than 4 sections of the guidelines as including being a member of a game club, as distinct from a target or clay pigeon club. 

Also, the Guidelines state:
“Individuals who have cited membership of, for example, a clay pigeon or game club as their ‘Good Reason’ for having a firearm certificate must be mindful that they will be required to remain a member of that club or a similar club for the entire period of three years that the firearm certificate is in force.  Allowing membership to lapse for any period during the lifetime of the certificate may result in their firearm certificate being revoked.”

Under the new system, substitutions cannot be effected on the credit card licence.  A new card will have to be issued by the Garda Computer section.  This is because no substitutions can be processed manually as heretofore as the PULSE system will not have the capability to print paper firearms certificates under the old system.  Therefore, substitutions will be processed under the new 3 year licensing system.

There is no doubt but that there will be hiccups in the early days.  However, I believe that the new arrangements will provide the basis for a better relationship at local level with Garda Superintendents. 

For example, the Commissioner’s Guidelines provide:
“It is recommended that the Superintendent of each District, or a representative nominated by the Superintendent, should meet not less than twice a year, with representatives of all gun clubs in their areas to discuss any problems or issues with regard to firearms licensing.  These meetings can be mutually beneficial to both the Garda Siochana and the local clubs and is one of the key recommendations contained in the report of Mr Justice Barr in his report on firearms”.

I would be suggesting that clubs should get pro-active in relation to this and not leave it to be initiated by the local Superintendent.  Like most things, these meetings are unlikely to get off the ground in any serious sense if the clubs don’t take the initiative.  Where there is an obvious reluctance or difficulty in getting a meeting, clubs or RGC’s should advise the writer.  I would also suggest that where possible, especially in the early years, clubs should include at least one RGC officer in the delegation meeting the Gardai – perhaps the County Safety Officer.

There has been concern expressed by some that under the new legislation the Minister has legal authority to ban any firearm the he deems poses a threat to public safety.  This is not as drastic or as unreasonable as some might suggest.  Indeed it could be argued that every Minister has a statutory responsibility to take measures to protect the public if the situation demands it.  Whether there is an enabling provision in current legislation or not, the reality is that where there is a measureable threat to public safety, the Government at the initiative of any Minister, could bring in legislation to deal with the threat.  In fact Section 2(2B)(b) of the Firearms Act 1925 already empowers the Minister to declare any firearm to be especially dangerous and therefore to take steps to effectively ban it.    

The Commissioner’s Guidelines will prove to be extremely useful and informative.  They represent a huge step forward in allowing both the Gardai, firearms licence applicants and the general public achieve the same understanding of how the licensing system is to operate.  It should, within a reasonable period of time bring a level of consistency which has not been in the system up to now.  Also, over the past year the “new” Garda Policy Unit has been conducting numerous seminars around the country for Gardai on the operation of the new system.

The Commissioner’s Guidelines, which cover every aspect of firearms licensing and therefore is an essential reference for everyone who owns a gun, will be available for downloading from the new Garda web site from August 1st at the latest.

 Firearms  -  New FAQ here..