Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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137. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if firearms dealers will continue to be permitted to deactivate firearms here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25557/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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On 8 April 2016, European Commission Regulation 2015/2403 establishing common guidelines on deactivation standards and techniques for ensuring that deactivated firearms are rendered irreversibly inoperable came into effect. The Regulation was introduced as a result of an ongoing review of the Firearms Directive. The Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks and later the Paris shootings involved reactivated firearms being used. This Regulation involves a significant tightening of arrangements across the EU Member States to ensure that standardised arrangements are in place to ensure that deactivated firearms cannot be reactivated for use.

It consists of a two step process whereby the firearm is firstly deactivated in accordance with the technical requirements of the Regulation followed by an independent verification of this deactivation by a competent authority appointed by Member States within each jurisdiction. There are currently more than 40 such competent authorities throughout the EU. The initial first step may still be carried out by a Registered Firearms Dealer in this jurisdiction. Only such Registered Firearms Dealers persons may carry out this work. The owner may then choose which competent authority to utilise in order to verify the deactivation.

Ireland has not appointed a Competent Authority to verify the deactivation of firearms in accordance with this Regulation because there is no significant firearms manufacturing industry in this country and no formal training for a gunsmith is recognised by the State. However, the Department of Justice and Equality has received statements of interest from five interested parties who wish to be assessed to be appointed as a Competent Authority for the verification of the deactivation of firearms under the regulation. The applicants are preparing formal applications at present and these shall be assessed upon receipt. The firearm must then be submitted to any one of the current 46 national competent authorities within the EU for verification and certification. The Birmingham Proof House has been approved by UK authorities to verify the deactivation of firearms in accordance with the Regulation and they have indicated their willingness to undertake such verification work for Irish customers.

The possession of any firearm, even after deactivation, will continue to require authorisation by An Garda Síochána.