Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number of judicial reviews currently before the High Court arising out of a refusal to grant firearms licences; his plans to undertake a review of existing firearms legislation or to issue further guidance to the Garda Commissioner regarding the licensing of firearms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48108/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that in the region of 175 judicial reviews have been lodged arising from refusals to grant firearms licences by designated persons within An Garda Síochána. As the matter is currently before the Courts, I cannot comment in any substantive way but I understand that a small number of representative test cases will be heard.

As the Deputy will appreciate firearms licensing is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. Each application is judged on its own merits and the decision on whether, or not, to grant a firearm certificate rests solely with the issuing person. The decision of the issuing person cannot be fettered in any way and I have no role in the matter. Finally, as of now, there are no plans to review the existing firearms legislation.