Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

If he does not make a decision because he simply does not want to do so on the basis of nothing, he will be deemed to have refused. The applicant will not be in a worse position in such circumstances. I honestly believe we have to be clear about this. To possess a firearm is a matter of some consequence. To apply to the State for a permit to have a firearm is also a matter of some consequence. It is not the case that one gets the right to have a firearm, by default, whenever the State cannot think of a reason to the contrary or whenever something goes wrong in the system. I make no bones about saying I do not want unsuitable people to get firearms because they were given a permit when something went wrong. It is not the end of the world if people have to go to the District Court. The suggestion that it costs money to go to the District Court is not accurate. If one contacts one's local District Court clerk, either through its office or its website, one can fill out a form to make one's appeal oneself. The District Court is not a lawyer-driven court. Anybody who has a statable case, particularly somebody who has simply been let down by the system, should win that case as of right at an early hearing. I do not agree with the proposition that the default mode should be to issue a firearms licence — the default mode should be not to issue a licence.

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