Why was no recognition taken of any points raised by FURG on the new application form for firearms in 2023 and why did AGS decide to change this form when there is clearly no way of entering this information onto PULSE?
Why will the Commissioner not meet with representatives of the gun dealers to discuss the inexcusable time of on average 900 +/- days for a firearm from initial contact with the gun dealers to it finally leaving the shop, and discuss the cost to the gun dealers and purchasers of storage fees that is directly caused by AGS delays in the licensing system?
Will the Commissioner address the seemingly common occurrence in all Garda districts of the loss of firearms cert applications by AGS? This is one of the most common problems seen by new applicants and it suggests a major administrative or security breach by AGS when handling very sensitive personal information in these applications. It is strange for a police force that handles thousands of applications and paperwork literally on everything from threats to the Irish state to parking fines, that we never hear of a loss of these more common bits of paperwork en masse. But this problem of loss of firearm applications is of little or no concern. It’s strange too that when the Data Protection Commissioner may get involved these forms are miraculously “found ” again and processed (mostly) post haste.
Why do AGS insist, despite having lost over 50 cases in the district courts, on judging both restricted and unrestricted firearms on what “looks like” an assault rifle? When there are enough precedents set by district courts on this topic to prove the point of form does not follow function, that clearly the legislation does not define what an assault rifle “looks like”, and also that there is high court precedent on this point. A Revenue case Vs an Irish farmer in or about 1984 on the definition of what a “tractor” is under Irish law.
How many “Restricted firearms” made utterly of optics and microcircuitry AKA night vision devices that are “weapons mountable” have been relicensed so far since 2023? And does the Commissioner consider this a viable use of Garda time?
Why did you push for and achieve the revocation of 38 S/A CF rifles under ”public safety” when there has not been 1 crime recorded with one, not one stolen or no accidents with one. What has this actually achieved? Considering people still have S/A CF once it was licenced pre 2015 why couldn’t all licences be grandfathered? Crime stats cannot reflect this has been positive as there was no crime stats in the first place… how does the public safety excuse make sense?
Why are some people having restrictions on their licences stating they must inform Gardai of every time they are going hunting and where?
Many Superintendents are refusing to license silencers in their districts, as they “might be used by criminals”, or as a threat to public safety when in use when hunting. This was alluded to by AGS in the FEC report of 2023 too.
Could the Commissioner give a breakdown of;
- How many legally held silencers of all types and calibres have been stolen in the period of 2010 to the present day by criminals from legally held gunowners? As silencers are considered under the legislation as firearms in their own right the onus is on owners to report their theft or loss as a firearm.
- Of what particular calibers have been stolen and used in incidents by criminals from civilians?
- How many gangland assassination’s in the same period have used stolen civilian silencers? Ditto for civilian accidents involving firearms has a silencer been used? Example: hikers or whatever out in the countryside claiming they “were nearly shot” by not being able to discern in what particular direction a shot silenced, or not, came from?
In the final voice of technical issues in firearms legislation on definitions, example, OAL of a firearm or other such. Who is the final arbitrating state expert to state such? The head of Garda ballistics, the Dept of Justice, or a common or garden gun dealer/smith? As it seems even on such basic things as defining the measurement points of a firearm length, is somewhat unsure under both state agencies.
If you the reader have anything you would like to add to this list, please comment below, we would love to hear from you.