National Firearms Awareness Day

Sparks

NATIONAL FIREARMS LICENSING AWARENESS DAY

Wednesday 16th June 2010.

Issued by Sgt. Paul Green, Garda Firearms Policy Unit

As you are all aware, the final extended one year firearm certificates will expire on 30th June 2010. As of today 2nd June 2010 we have over 130,000 new applications on the system, the majority of which have been fully processed and certificates issued. We have also had significant numbers of unwanted, old or obsolete firearms handed in to Garda Stations for destruction. However, this still leaves large numbers of firearms owners who have still not yet re applied for their new 3 year firearm certificates.

With this in mind, the Commissioner has now designated Wednesday 16th June 2010 as ‘National Firearms Awareness Day'. On this date every Garda Station in the country will have personnel available between the hours of 10am and 6pm to assist firearm owners in filling out application form FCA1 and offer general assistance re the new firearms processes. The objective of this initiative is to ensure that as many people as possible will avail of this opportunity to get their applications in prior to 30th June 2010.

A national newspaper campaign aimed at publicising the day will be launched in the next week or so and national as well as local radio stations will also be utilised. Additionally, The Garda Press and Public Relations Office will assist in briefing the media prior to the awareness day. The Commissioner is anxious that every firearm owner is afforded every opportunity to have their application processed. With only 4 weeks remaining of the extension period, this is obviously the final push re encouraging outstanding applications.

A comprehensive audit of all firearm owners will be conducted in early July by every Superintendent in their respective districts. Failure to apply for their new 3 year firearm certificates by 30th June 2010 may result in firearm owners finding themselves in possession of unlicensed firearms and could result in their firearms being seized or may even render them liable to prosecution. This is obviously a situation we do not want to see happen. I would ask all of the representatives of the various shooting organisations to assist in promoting the 16th June and making it a success. For further assistance or information you can contact myself or Tim here at Firearms Policy.

Paul Greene Sgt.
Firearms Policy Unit.
01.6661911 or 01.6661916

Rovi

Good to see the Gardai being proactive on this before a bunch of people end up unlicensed when their extensions run out.

Is this something we can print off and put on display in our clubs and ranges, or are the FPU looking after that?

I suspect that the 'clubs and ranges' people aren't really the target of this, and that it'll be the newspaper and radio campaign that'll reach the intended audience: the 'single gun' people who got the longest extensions, most of whom aren't members of clubs or ranges and aren't part of the sport shooting community, but are people who happen to have a gun for farm pest control and the like.

Tackleberrywho

Rovi wrote: »

Good to see the Gardai being proactive on this before a bunch of people end up unlicensed when their extensions run out.

Is this something we can print off and put on display in our clubs and ranges, or are the FPU looking after that?

I suspect that the 'clubs and ranges' people aren't really the target of this, and that it'll be the newspaper and radio campaign that'll reach the intended audience: the 'single gun' people who got the longest extensions, most of whom aren't members of clubs or ranges and aren't part of the sport shooting community, but are people who happen to have a gun for farm pest control and the like.

My younger briother being one of them.
He being a true Farmer never uses D'internet Laser or credit cards.

His is up in July I believe. He just shoots the odd pest around the farm with it, and sometimes breaks a clay or two.

It will be interesting if local radio stations run it, most farmers listen to it when out in the massey

Mr Mole

Maybe the Garda Firearms Policy Unit will be also kind enough to run an Awareness Day in respect of sporting firearms for their Supers and Chiefs.:D

Sparks

I think that's their entire raison d'etre...

Mr Mole

Not exactly Sparks! The Garda initiative is aimed at the public.
My comment, cynical as it was, refers to the lack of knowledge regarding sporting firearms that is apparent among the Garda members who have the statutary responsibility for the granting of firearms certificates for sporting purposes. (Cynical again, as its really nothing to smile about)!

Sparks

The firearms awareness day is aimed at the general public; but we've been told the FPU's goal is to ensure consistent policy and levels of knowledge amongst Supers and Chief Supers...

jwshooter

how many sergeants and supers will be aware of it ? .

Dusty87

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

My younger briother being one of them.
He being a true Farmer never uses D'internet Laser or credit cards.

His is up in July I believe.

Id check that extension again Tack. AFAIK i got the longest extention and its up in June. Also see 1st post;

the final extended one year firearm certificates will expire on 30th June 2010

.

Double check for his sake.

Tackleberrywho

Dusty87 wrote: »

Id check that extension again Tack. AFAIK i got the longest extention and its up in June. Also see 1st post;

.

Double check for his sake.

I'll say it to him this evening.
i know my fathers shot and rifle were renewed last month

Mr Mole

Sparks, are you being cynical now?:D

ayapatrick

Dusty87 wrote: »

Id check that extension again Tack. AFAIK i got the longest extention and its up in June. Also see 1st post;

.

Double check for his sake.

Ya its june im nearly sure.
I seen a notice up in the station when i was in with mine 2 months ago that all firearms apps were overdue.

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

The firearms awareness day is aimed at the general public; but we've been told the FPU's goal is to ensure consistent policy and levels of knowledge amongst Supers and Chief Supers...

I know another story like that it begins like this

Once upon a time in a far, far away land ....................

In our current reality some Supers and Chief Supers are reported to be totally ignoring the FPU and are not even obliged not to mention legally bound to take 'advice' from them !!!

jwshooter

i got a e mail off CA to day ,fair tempted to e mail it to my Sargent .

bunny shooter

Now that is unfair you just leave us hanging now

Sparks

Mr Mole wrote: »

Sparks, are you being cynical now?:D

I said it was their job, I didn't say they'd been successful...

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

I said it was their job, I didn't say they'd been successful...

To which I refer you to post #13 on this thread

Sparks

You should write a letter of complaint to the Commissioner Bunny!

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

You should write a letter of complaint to the Commissioner Bunny!

Ya :rolleyes: great idea :rolleyes: set up an FCP thingy :rolleyes: convince shooters that everything will be grand :rolleyes: any more of them great ideas

Sparks

Just the same one I've had for the last decade - do things with a degree of intelligence and pragmatism, instead of this stupid romantic idea of the great Irish Romantic Failure which we've been pursuing since 1999 or thereabouts, with lots of shouting and expensive ineffectual court cases and the like.

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

Just the same one I've had for the last decade - do things with a degree of intelligence and pragmatism, instead of this stupid romantic idea of the great Irish Romantic Failure which we've been pursuing since 1999 or thereabouts, with lots of shouting and expensive ineffectual court cases and the like.

"we've" some of us you mean

Sparks

Some of the 2% of us, I'd say Bunny.
Unfortunately, it just takes one shouty eejit to do enormous damage to the rest of us with ill-advised lawsuits or stupid media statements or the like.

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

Some of the 2% of us, I'd say Bunny.

Agreed but if some of the other 98% were even consulted things might be different

Sparks wrote: »

Unfortunately, it just takes one shouty eejit to do enormous damage to the rest of us with ill-advised lawsuits or stupid media statements or the like.

I wonder who you mean

jwshooter

Sparks wrote: »

Just the same one I've had for the last decade - do things with a degree of intelligence and pragmatism, instead of this stupid romantic idea of the great Irish Romantic Failure which we've been pursuing since 1999 or thereabouts, with lots of shouting and expensive ineffectual court cases and the like.

jwshooter

Sparks wrote: »

Some of the 2% of us, I'd say Bunny.
Unfortunately, it just takes one shouty eejit to do enormous damage to the rest of us with ill-advised lawsuits or stupid media statements or the like.

while the 2 % sit with there heads so far up there own ass holes they would have google earth to find it .

bunny shooter

jwshooter wrote: »

while the 2 % sit with there heads so far up there own ass holes they would have google earth to find it .

Now that is good !!!!!! and unfortunately true

pat58

jwshooter wrote: »

while the 2 % sit with there heads so far up there own ass holes they would have google earth to find it .

At least you say it the way it is;)

Sparks

jwshooter wrote: »

while the 2 % sit with there heads so far up there own ass holes they would have google earth to find it .

Somehow jw, I don't think you'd know what the 2% are up to if we sat down and spent our entire bank holiday weekend writing it up.

Suffice to say, the vast majority of that 2% are doing the scut work that the other 98% don't bother doing, but without which, 100% of shooting would probably never happen. They do it as unpaid volunteer labour and frankly, don't get enough thanks for it.

But one or two individuals have a habit of undermining all their work in their ongoing quest to fight da powa, and the next thing you know the other 98% are suddenly crapped on from a great height, and then those one or two individuals point to the 2% and blame them, and people just lap it up. It's very frustrating the first time you see it happen, but by the time you're seeing it happen for the third or fourth time, it's worse - and that's why a lot of people just give up on the whole affair, with the end result that those one or two loudmouthed nitwits can destroy an entire sport for hundreds of people at a cost of thousands of euro apiece and then go on to paint themselves as the heroes of that sport.

bunny shooter

Sparks wrote: »

Somehow jw, I don't think you'd know what the 2% are up to if we sat down and spent our entire bank holiday weekend writing it up.

I think that may be most of the problem. The 2% keep it all secret :rolleyes:

Sparks wrote: »

Suffice to say, the vast majority of that 2% are doing the scut work that the other 98% don't bother doing, but without which, 100% of shooting would probably never happen. They do it as unpaid volunteer labour and frankly, don't get enough thanks for it.

But one or two individuals have a habit of undermining all their work in their ongoing quest to fight da powa, and the next thing you know the other 98% are suddenly crapped on from a great height, and then those one or two individuals point to the 2% and blame them, and people just lap it up. It's very frustrating the first time you see it happen, but by the time you're seeing it happen for the third or fourth time, it's worse - and that's why a lot of people just give up on the whole affair, with the end result that those one or two loudmouthed nitwits can destroy an entire sport for hundreds of people at a cost of thousands of euro apiece and then go on to paint themselves as the heroes of that sport.

Name & shame

Sparks

bunny shooter wrote: »

I think that may be most of the problem. The 2% keep it all secret :rolleyes:

And you think I'm a fan of that?
Doesn't mean they're utterly unsuited, it just means they need to improve.
And as I understand it, several have become far more open in the last few years...

Name & shame

Ever hear of a SLAPP case?
Besides, anyone who's read this forum or it's archives, will be able to guess at at least one name.

John 52

Sparks wrote: »

And you think I'm a fan of that?
Doesn't mean they're utterly unsuited, it just means they need to improve.
And as I understand it, several have become far more open in the last few years...Ever hear of a SLAPP case?
Besides, anyone who's read this forum or it's archives, will be able to guess at at least one name.

What is a slapp case?