Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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615. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the prohibition that exists for the use of pellet guns, both air and gas powered with specific attention of the availability of such weapons to children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32874/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Section 40 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 inserted new subsections under Section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990, dealing with air and gas powered guns (also known as airsoft guns). These provisions deal with Realistic Imitation Firearms (RIFs) which includes airsoft guns with a muzzle energy less than or equal to one joule which are capable of firing small beads or pellets. (Airsoft guns of over one joule in muzzle energy are firearms and need to be licensed by an owner the same way as a normal handgun, shotgun or rifle.) Possession of a RIF in any public place, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, is an offence. There is also provision for the control of the use of RIFs, by restricting their possession and use to specified locations, such as airsoft venues, authorised by the local Garda Superintendent.

A number of subsections within Section 40 have yet to be commenced. To do so requires the establishment of a Register of Dealers in RIFs. One such provision will make it an offence for a person to sell a RIF to a person under the age of 16 years. Work on this matter is in progress. A joint Departmental/ Garda Síochána Review into firearms licensing is also nearing completion. I expect to receive a report arising from this Review shortly.