Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 196, inclusive, together.

I am not aware of any proposals being submitted to my Department to establish a Proof House for firearms in Ireland. I understand that Proof Houses are normally only established in States where firearms are manufactured. In that context, I understand that Ireland does not have any firearms’ manufacturers.

Such Proof Houses have been set up in a number of EU Member States which have firearms’ manufacturers. These Member States are signatories to the Commission Internationale Permanente pour l’epreuve des armes feu portatives ("Permanent International Commission for the Proof of Small Arms" – commonly abbreviated as C.I.P.) which is an international organisation which sets standards for safety testing of firearms. I, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, have no proposals for Ireland to join the C.I.P.

The establishment of any such Proof House in Ireland would have security implications which would be a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Overall responsibility for firearms importation into Ireland, and the licensing thereof, are also the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. In this context, I note that the Department of Justice and Equality application form for importation of firearms by a registered firearms’ dealer into Ireland includes a requirement to declare if the firearm has a C.I.P. proof status or not. I would remind the Deputy that the Department of Justice and Equality undertook a public consultation earlier this year in relation to the licensing of firearms in Ireland.