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Control of Firearms

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2021

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Questions (488)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

488. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice the number of semi-automatic centre fire rifles that have been licensed by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021; if the proposal to amend legislation to declare any such firearms licensed post 2015 as invalid licences and revoke same with immediate effect infringes on the constitutional rights of citizens; if she will instruct her Department to consult with persons who own such firearms before signing off on such legislation via an appointed group; and if the State will compensate Irish citizens for their loss of property given that this proposal will affect persons who have invested large sums in these firearms in some cases. [32835/21]

View answer

Written answers

The figures requested by the Deputy were not readily available within the timeframe permitted. Relevant information has been requested which will be collated and verified. I will contact the Deputy directly when further information is available in this regard.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question Number 488 for answer on 22 June 2021 which asked for information on
“the number of semi-automatic centre fire rifles that have been licensed by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021; if the proposal to amend legislation to declare any such firearms licensed post 2015 as invalid licences and revoke same with immediate effect infringes on the constitutional rights of citizens; if she will instruct her Department to consult with persons who own such firearms before signing off on such legislation via an appointed group; and if the State will compensate Irish citizens for their loss of property given that this proposal will affect persons who have invested large sums in these firearms in some cases”.
As you will recall the information was not readily available at that time and I undertook to respond to you as soon as possible. This information is now to hand and is attached in the tables below
The number of semi-automatic centre fire rifles imported -
January 2015 – 30 June 2021

Year

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Total Firearms Imported 2015-2021

Licensed

3

0

5

13

7

7

3

38

Unlicensed

3

2

11

10

5

6

14

51

Annual total

6

2

16

23

12

13

17

89

As you may be aware, in 2015, the then Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., announced plans to implement a number of changes to Firearms Licensing, including restrictions on the licensing of any new centre-fire semi-automatic rifles. I am sure the Deputy will agree that these are potentially very dangerous weapons in the wrong hands. This remains settled policy and it is my intention to legislate to introduce restrictions on the licensing of centre-fire semi-automatic rifles, including the revocation of licenses issued after 18 September 2015, as flagged at the time. The proposed legislation forms part of the General Scheme of a Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020. The General Scheme for this Bill was approved by Government in September 2020. It was referred to the Justice Committee for Pre – Legislative Scrutiny in January and I await the views of the Committee in due course. It is my intention to progress this General Scheme and to publish the required Bill at an early date, as other priorities in my Department’s legislative programme may allow.
People who have obtained licences since the 2015 announcement have been advised the licences will be revoked when the legislative ban is introduced.
Any licence issued after the announcement to introduce a curtailment on the licencing of these firearms will be revoked following the enactment of the legislation.
My Department has also engaged with Registered Firearms Dealers to monitor the number of these firearms imported and to advise the dealers that any firearms brought into the State that do not have a firearms license associated with them dated prior to 18 September 2015 will become unlicensable when the new legislation is introduced. As the Deputy may also be aware, a similar process applied when restrictions were introduced for the licensing of centre-fire handguns.
Finally, as is clear from above, my Department has consistently communicated this policy over the last few years and the payment of compensation would not arise in these circumstances.
I trust that this information clarifies matters for you.
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