Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Firearms Licences: Working Group on the Review of Firearms Licensing

10:20 am

Mr. Fergus Healy:

I do not have the exact details, but I can procure some particulars. Deputy Alan Farrell raised a number of issues. The legislation dealing with assault rifles specifically outlines that if a weapon looks like or resembles an assault rifle, it is an assault rifle. The legislation is clear in that respect. There is a lot of debate around the question of whether a licensed rifle is an assault rifle. It is a subjective argument, but, in effect, the legislation deals with the matter by stating that if it resembles one, it is one.