Results 1,501-1,520 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: When I checked the facts, I found that 54% of trainee gardaí have third level qualifications when they go to Templemore. The education that is offered at the training college is quite broad — it involves training in the community, etc. I mention that because we sometimes form our opinions on the basis of urban stereotypes. It was clearly a commonly held view that farmers' young sons were...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: Many people in rural Ireland have 15 year old sons with whom they want to go shooting pigeon, etc., on their lands. They know the best way to get their sons to have a safe and educated attitude to the use of firearms is to bring them out, show them how it is done, teach them about breaking the weapon and inform them about safety procedures at an age when they are teachable. It is more...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: That is right.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: These amendments relate to section 30, which inserts a new section 3 into the Firearms Act 1925. Amendment No. 17 proposes the insertion of the words, "where the permission of that person has not been obtained", in section 30(6)(b) where a limited certificate for a shotgun is being sought. I refer the Senator to section 30(11)(a) of the new section which provides that, "a limited certificate...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: Civil liability is a separate issue. If I owned land and I gave Senator Jim Walsh the right to shoot pigeons on it, if he were to trip and shoot himself, fall into a ditch, a slurry pit, combine harvester or whatever——

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: ——that relates to civil liability. I do not see that the amendment to the law proposed by Senator Cummins is necessary because if one uses a weapon otherwise than in accordance with the firearms certificate which authorises one to use it, such as by trespassing on someone's land to shoot there, one is already committing an offence. I do not believe we need to have a separate offence of...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: This is the provision to which I referred on which I got such a hammering in regard to transparency in the other House. The purpose of the new section is to enable the Commissioner to issue guidelines for, among other things, the information of the public, on the practical application of firearms and the manner in which the law is administered by the Garda Síochána. Guidelines for the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: I hope I get a better hearing here. However, this section will also enable the Minister to issue guidelines to members of the force on specific operational issues which may relate solely to the administration of firearms law which would only be pertinent to members of the force engaged in the administration of the firearms law or which, in the view of the Commissioner, might on security...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: I am not hostile to this amendment and it is not a question of being right or wrong on this issue. Section 30 and section 4 of the principal Act should be examined together. Section 4(1) provides that an "issuing person shall not grant a firearms certificate unless he or she is satisfied that the applicant complies with the conditions referred to in subsection (2) and will continue to comply...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: Another condition that must be complied with, as set out in subsection (3), is that an applicant for a firearm certificate must "supply to the issuing person the information requested on the application form and such further information as the issuing person may require in the performance of the person's functions under this Act". The subsection further provides that this information...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: Section 32 inserts a new section 4 in substitution of section 4 of the principal Act. Subsection (3) of the new section 4 states: An applicant for a firearm certificate shall supply to the issuing person the information requested in the application form and such further information as the issuing person may require in the performance of the performance of the person's functions under this...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: If firearm licenceholders are required to obtain a letter from a GP, how much will that requirement cost them? It would add €30 or €50 to the cost of each licence application. I am not against the medical profession and I do not see Senator Henry, a member of that profession, protesting about this. If 200,000 licenceholders are required to obtain such a letter at a cost of €50, that...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: A €10 million levy would be imposed on shotgun owners across the country. Perhaps GPs would be decent and hand them the letter for less.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: It would not be much less.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: It might.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: We hear talk about creeping stealth taxes but such a provision would require a firearm licenceholder to visit his or her GP and obtain a letter to this effect. It is not fanciful to say that the letter and visit would involve a cost for the licence holder of €50.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: That is a good question.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: I am grateful to Senator Jim Walsh for his paean of praise and note the qualification added by Senator Norris. The students of Trinity played their part in 1916 with all of the weapons to which the Senator referred.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: I sympathise with what the Senator is driving at, but I wish to emphasise what he is saying, namely that anyone who has ever been involved in any violent crime should never have access to a firearms certificate. Let us examine that provision because it means that if one was involved in a domestic altercation——

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (3 Jul 2006)

Derek McDowell: ——or an altercation at a pub or on the sidelines of a GAA match, the Garda must deny one a shotgun licence.