Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
322. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the criteria applicable to the composition of his new firearms forum; the basis of said criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72595/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra323. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his response to concerns that his new firearms forum excludes certain stakeholders (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72596/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra324. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to set out the issues to be addressed by the new Firearms Forum established by his Department; how the forum is expected to reach agreement and make recommendations to the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72604/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra325. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to advise if minutes of the Department's new Firearms Forum are to be published on the Department's website, as happens with many other stakeholder fora established by Government departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72605/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra329. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a detailed explanation of the selection process and underlying rationale for the membership of the recently established Firearms Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72712/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra330. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason the membership of his Department's Firearms Forum excludes certain sectors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72713/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra333. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the names of the members of the new Firearms Forum; the organisation/sector they each represent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72801/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra334. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the Terms of Reference and work programme of the new Firearms Forum established by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72802/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra338. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a list of persons appointed to the newly-formed Firearms Forum, including the groups, sectors or interests each member represents. [72854/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra339. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the mandate, objectives and proposed schedule of work for the Firearms Forum recently convened by his Department. [72855/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra340. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the matters the new Firearms Forum will be tasked with examining; and the mechanisms through which the Forum is expected to develop consensus and issue recommendations to his Department. [72856/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra341. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the minutes or agreed notes of meetings of the new Firearms Forum will be made publicly available on his Department’s website. [72857/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 322 to 325, inclusive, 329, 330, 333, 334 and 338 to 341, inclusive, together.
My Department holds meetings with individual firearms organisations on request and engages with various firearms stakeholders, including representative firearms organisations, in various ways.
An Garda Síochána also meets with firearms stakeholder organisations in respect of relevant matters.
Officials from my Department also liaise regularly with the Firearms Policy Unit of An Garda Síochána on firearms-related matters.
Earlier this year, my Department organised a series of engagements with firearms stakeholders in Wicklow, Limerick, Carrick-on-Shannon and Mullingar.
I and officials from my Department have also met with representative organisations, including the FURG (Firearms Users Representative Group) and the NARGC (National Association of Regional Games Councils).
In these and other engagements, I have confirmed my support for more regular and structured engagement between policy makers and firearms users than has taken place since the last meeting of the Firearms Consultative Panel (FCP) in 2019.
I can advise that ongoing engagement has continued with firearms stakeholders.
The most recent engagement took place on the 1st December, where more than 20 representatives of the firearms community and firearms stakeholder organisations attended a meeting with my officials. One of these meetings also took place on the 18th September.
Due to the nature of these initial engagements, formal minutes were not taken. This approach is to ensure proceedings would be open and transparent while facilitating frank and honest exchanges of views. This was explained at the beginning of the meetings.
As these engagements evolve, consideration will be given to the question of the publication of minutes of the meetings.
The objective of these meetings is to provide a mechanism for ongoing engagement with firearms stakeholders from a broad range of areas within the firearms community, ensuring their valuable insights in specific areas of firearms can be considered in any future policy and legislative changes that may arise.
The stakeholders attending these meetings include several from representative organisations, experts in technical areas of firearms and members of An Garda Síochána’s Firearms Policy Unit. Several of the stakeholders were also members of the FCP.
Stakeholder organisations are encouraged to make submissions to the meetings, engage with other stakeholders and contribute.
It is intended to continue the proactive and open engagement that has taken place.
Any stakeholder organisation that would like to contribute to these engagements is also welcome to engage with my Department on the matter.
