Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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465. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a night-time shooting ban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35275/17]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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539. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a night-time shooting and hunting ban for gun clubs and predator control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35911/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 539 together.

I can inform the Deputy that there is no proposal to ban night time shooting. At a meeting of the Firearms Consultative Panel (chaired by my Department) held on April 5th 2016, shooting groups stated that illegal shooting at night is a serious safety issue which needed to be addressed. As a result a working group on night time shooting chaired by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) with membership from An Garda Síochána and other shooting interest groups held a number of meetings resulting in a draft report prepared by the NPWS. The proposals in the draft report do not contain a legal ban on night time shooting but rather are intended to act as a voluntary code of best practice guidance for shooters. I understand, during discussions by the working group, that many issues arose for consideration in what is a complex and challenging area.

That draft report was submitted to the Firearms Consultative Panel for consideration on April 20th 2017. While the draft report received considerable support, certain concerns were raised. As a result members of the Firearms Consultative Panel were invited to make submissions by June 1st which will be considered by the NPWS chair of the working group on night time shooting, in conjunction with members of the Working Group. A full meeting of the Firearms Consultative Panel, chaired by my Department, will subsequently consider the matter.