John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 253: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will explain to Dáil Éireann the reason the wording of chapter 39 of the Garda code, which sets out the extent of the information to be provided to a firearms licence applicant concerning the reasons for refusal of a firearms certificate, was removed from an earlier draft of the Garda Commissioner's guidelines which were agreed by him; if he will agree that the absence of this Garda code wording has in effect given rise to all of the firearms judicial review cases currently before the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21579/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and I will write to the Deputy when it becomes available.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 254: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of firearms licence applications which were lost or deemed lost by the Garda Síochána and which resulted in fresh applications having to be made by citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21580/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As it has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy in the time available, I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and will write to the Deputy when it becomes available.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 255: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the internal audit unit in his Department has carried out any examination of the costs of having Chief Superintendents and other gardaí tied up attending District Court firearms licensing appeal cases and attending to the detailed preparations involved in almost 180 judicial review cases in the High Court; his plans to have such an examination undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21581/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Internal Audit Unit in my Department has not carried out an examination of the costs associated with having Chief Superintendents and other Garda attending District Court licensing appeal cases or attending Judicial Review cases. The information requested is held by An Garda Síochána. I have requested this information from the Garda Commissioner and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as the information has been supplied.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 256: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will accept that the hunting licence endorsement was omitted from firearms licences in the firearms provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, with the result that tens of thousands of sportsmen and women were unwittingly left hunting unlawfully in the 2009-10 hunting season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21582/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed that the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2010 included a provision which allowed all holders of valid firearm certificates issued for shotguns, between 1 August 2009 and 31 July 2012, to be deemed to be holders of a hunting licence under the Wildlife Acts for the purposes of hunting game bird and hare species during the Open Seasons. This provision was introduced to address an issue which arose following the introduction of a new computerised firearms licensing system by An Garda Síochána which is not designed to issue hunting licences.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 257: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if section 33 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 makes it an offence for a person to facilitate or engage in the use of a firearm for the purposes of practical or dynamic shooting; if there have been any prosecutions effected under this section to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21583/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Section 33 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 2009 provides that it is an offence for a person to facilitate or engage in the use of a firearm for the purpose of practical or dynamic shooting. For the purposes of the section, "practical or dynamic shooting" means any form of activity in which firearms are used to simulate combat or combat training. I can inform the Deputy that no prosecutions have been effected under this section to date.