David Norris (Independent)

On Second Stage the Minister and Senator Jim Walsh nodded when I mentioned country pursuits. This is a fact of life. My correspondent is interested in the question of definitions, not just ages. He indicates that guns were removed wholesale because of the "Troubles" although this failed to stem the "Troubles". The only people who observed it were the legitimate users of gun clubs and it smothered their activities. They want the Minister to consider the following:

"target shooting" and "shooting range" to be defined in law since target shooting on an unauthorised shooting range is now a criminal offence. For "zeroing" to be defined separately from "target shooting" and for zeroing off a shooting range to be legal for a hunter since many hunters may live over a hundred miles from the nearest shooting range. To know what firearms the Minister wants to declare restricted and his reasons for such restrictions. For there to be an appeals process [which is a fundamental part of our legal system]. To be able to make submission on the drafting of guidelines. The guidelines required by law to be published openly. For clay pigeon shooters to be able get licences for target shooting with shotguns without having to join a rifle or pistol club. To not have to surrender character references and medical records and . . . [the] right to privacy in order to get a licence for a firearm with which to represent their country in international sport, Olympic or otherwise. To know what standards the Minister intends to demand that ranges and clubs meet.

There is much more detail fleshing this out but since I now have the document and have made the principal points I would like to make it available to the Minister, with the exception of the first page of the briefing. This suggests that perhaps the gun club was not taken at all times quite as seriously as it might have been. I shall remove it to spare the ministerial feelings but everything else will be made available to him and his advisers.