Possibly illegal shooting activity

magicharon

Hi all

I'm looking for any laws there may be on noise pollution from a clay pigeon shooting ground which is near my house. Apparently the owner started applying for planning permission in 2015 but never completed the application. Over the past 7 years the business has obviously grown, the surrounding forestry has been felled and the constant gunfire has become unbearable at times. I have emailed complaints to the council planning and environment departments, but am not holding my breath. I called the local garda who were less than helpful and have been searching all the firearms laws and regulations for gun clubs etc. None of the documents seem to relate to the business's limitation of noise or regard for neighbours. I doubt I could afford a solicitor but am considering it as the authorities don't seem to be that interested.

Any thoughts on this subject?

Thanks

Furze99

Get onto your local county councillors and TDs. If there's no valid planning permission, kick up a rumpus.

But beware of local politics and who is pals with who.

magicharon

Thank you @Furze99 . I will email them all. I have just emailed the owner to register my concerns and give him the chance to respond. If he doesn't, then I guess I'll have better grounds to complain.

Oscar_Madison

Leave the “illegal shooting” phrase aside for the moment as the Gardai appear to be aware of the situation so I’m assuming if it were illegal they’d be on to it. Instead focus on noise pollution - there is legislation in place - look it up- for less than 50 quid you can bring a case to the district court I think - definitely against neighbours at the very least- have all your evidence compiled - dates, times of noise, type of noise, for what duration, impact of you and family members etc- that’s the sort of evidence required for a successful case

coylemj

There are regulations about how far from a public road you have to be before you can discharge a firearm. If they're above the minimum distance and not engangering the public then the Gardai probably won't get involved and you'll have to pursue the PP and/or noise pollution angle.

Check out the (downloadable PDF) leaflet which you will find if you click the link 'A Guide to the Noise Regulations' at the website below ..

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/make-a-noise-nuisance-complaint/

BattleCorp

Clay pigeon shooting isn't legally classed as target shooting here in Ireland so the legislation that applies to ranges does not apply to clay pigeon shooting.

I think the distance one has to be from the road to legally discharge a shot is 60 feet. It was originally contained in the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Act, 1851 and then it was stuck into one of the Road Traffic Acts or somewhere else weird a long time ago. From memory, which is dodgy, I don't think it is in any of the firearms acts.

The Garda Commissioner's Guidelines 2018 also states 60 feet from the public road.

https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/online-services/firearms-licensing/commissioner-s-guidelines-2018.pdf

AndrewJRenko

Raise a formal planning enforcement complaint with your local authority.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120880185#Comment_120880185

Quit emailing.

Pick up the phone or even better visit the office.