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Ireland Launches Public Consultations On Realistic Imitation Firearms

Gungho Cowboy

Airsoft players in the Republic of Ireland are being made aware of the recent efforts of the Department of Justice and Equality to conduct Public Consultations on Controls Governing Realistic Imitation Firearms.  This was announced last 20 March 2017 by Minister of State David Stanton, in a report by BreakingNews.ie, he said:

“Realistic Imitation Firearms pose a threat to public safety when misused.

“While I recognise that law abiding members of the public gain enjoyment from the responsible use of Realistic Imitation Firearms such as at authorised airsoft venues, I want to protect this lawful use by ensuring the right regulatory framework is in place.

“Today I am inviting all interested parties to express their views on matters such as sale, purchase and marking of Realistic Imitation Firearms”.

Is there a reason for Irish airsofters to be alarmed by this initiative? According to the Irish Airsoft Association posting on their Facebook Page, there is no cause to be worried for the meantime, and that players are advised to be civil, especially on social media, and focus on submitting their recommendations as a community for the Department to consider in the conduct of their consultations and policy formulation:

Dear IAA members and Irish Airsoft Community,

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Irish Airsoft Association is aware of the current Public Consultations on Controls Governing Realistic Imitation Firearms.

It is important for everyone to remain calm at this point and not resort to social media meltdowns. The closing date of this consultation isn’t until the 1st May, 2017, therefore there is no reason for anyone to panic, there is plenty of time to have a solid and unified submission sent in that recommends what is best for the future of the Irish airsoft industry, hobby and sport.

This consultation is a discussion about how to address certain issues that An Garda Síochána have with the fact that there are no laws governing the sale, importation or purchase of realistic imitation firearms, thereby leading to a proliferation of their availability and increasing the possibility of misuse.

 Lines of communication have already been established between the relevant parties that will have the most influence in making submissions to the Minister of State. It is important for our members and the general airsoft community to have faith in those that have the best interest of our hobby/sport at heart and are in a position to make the best case for everyone.

At this point, I would ask that no one individual take it upon themselves to make a submission, as what’s in the best interest of everyone is that we stand unified together.

So, right now, the best thing for everyone to do is relax. Over the coming weeks I will keep you all updated on any developments that may be of interest to you or notify you all should your help be required.

I hope this will ease everyone’s minds.

Regards,
Jim McCarthy
Public Relations Officer
Irish Airsoft Association

We’ll continue to monitor this development and for those who are interested in the Consultation Paper, here is the official one as issued by the Department of Justice and Equality:

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