Owners defend rifle use as gardaí urge ban
They told TDs and senators at a day-long hearing they need semi-automatics to give them a competitive edge in shooting contests as the slightest move to manually reload could put them a fraction off target.
And they say the fast-acting guns are necessary to enable them deliver a swift repeat shot to an injured animal where their first shot fails to kill.
But while they got a largely sympathetic hearing from the Oireachtas Justice Committee, some of their arguments were greeted with scepticism.
Independent TD Finian McGrath asked representatives from bodies with a combined membership of 120,000 shooting enthusiasts: “Do you understand where we are coming from? I get the impression you don’t seem to get that firearms are dangerous. They are dangerous weapons full stop. There is public concern about the availability of firearms. I think some of your reactions are a little bit lackadaisical.”
His comments followed remarks by one speaker that semi-automatics were also needed because they were softer on the shoulder and had less kick-back than manually reloaded models — important for the comfort of elderly shooters.
Gardaí and the gun lobby have been on a collision course since Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald received a report last November with recommendations for further restrictions on gun ownership, with virtually all pistols and semi-automatic rifles being top of a proposed banned list.
At yesterday’s hearing, shooting groups accused gardaí of “speculation and scare-mongering” in the report by attempting to link firearms used for hunting and target shooting with mass shootings in other countries.
They said the report contained no credible evidence to support calls for further restrictions in this country and complained it was “insulting and offensive” to law-abiding licensed firearms holders here.
“The data is false, selective, self-serving and biased,” said Des Crofton of the Sports Coalition formed by nine of the country’s main shooting organisations.
Among the gun lobby’s demands are for an independent, centralised system of firearms licensing that would take the power away from gardaí in local districts. They claim decision-making in the licence application process is clouded by “interpersonal” issues and produces inconsistent results.
Garda demands are for more input into assessing licence applications with extra safeguarding criteria to be added. They warned that semi-automatic rifles and pistols are designed primarily for use by military and police and “pose a potentially devastating and lethal risk to the community”.
The committee is to visit a shooting range and the ballistics section at Garda HQ before completing its report to the minister, who separately is conducting her own review with public submissions being sought up to the end of this month.
Committee chairman Fine Gael’s David Stanton assured the speakers their views would be fully considered in both forums.
