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http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1201/1224259803866.html
Target-shooter loses appeal to keep guns
OLIVIA KELLEHER
A TARGET-SHOOTER, who claimed a Garda decision to refuse him licences for six high-powered competition handguns was like asking Pádraig Harrington to tee off in the US Masters with a hurley, yesterday lost an appeal of his case at Cork District Court.
Patrick Herlihy, who lives in the Carrigaline area of Co Cork, held licences for the weapons for four years. However, tightening up of firearms legislation earlier this year led to the refusal in October by gardaí in Cork to renew his licences for the Sig Sauer pistols and Smith and Wesson revolvers.
The appeal was effectively a test case for Irish gun owners who face losing handguns under Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern’s new crackdown on gun licences.
The Firearms Act enacted last August effectively banned all handguns and short-barrelled weapons with the exception of Olympic competition .22 calibre guns.
Mr Herlihy who is a member of the Shooting Sports Association of Ireland told Judge David Riordan last month that he needed all six guns to compete in various World Association 1500 precision pistol competitions.
He said he could not understand how the Garda Síochána had granted him licences for firearms for four years, but now suddenly regarded the weapons as a threat to society.
The court heard the weapons are always disassembled and locked away in safes when they are not in use.
Chief Supt Michael Finn, who turned down Mr Herlihy’s application for the firearms said his decision not to grant the licence was not in any way related to the applicant himself but arose out of a legislative change. He said public safety was paramount and that it was not in the interest of society to have such weapons in the hands of non-military or police personnel.
Meanwhile, ballistics expert, Det Insp Kevin Brooks, said the firearms for which Mr Herlihy applied for a licence for were of the type used by German and Dutch police as well as members of an Garda Síochána. He said the firearms were primarily associated with military and police use and were for “practical shooting.” He added the weapons were “combat” in nature and could cause devastation if they got in to the wrong hands.
Judge Riordan described Mr Herlihy as being a man of “exemplary character” but said that the legislative intent was to tighten the control on firearms.
He refused Mr Herlihy’s appeal application paying regard to the lethal nature of the weapons and the change in firearms legislation.
