The reports are the result of the work of the Committee over a nine-month period, during which it held nine in-person meetings, and contain expert opinion and recommendations on a range of firearms matters.

The Committee has now concluded its work and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Chair and members for their dedication and hard work in producing the reports.

The Committee was made up of five members: an independent Chairperson, a representative of An Garda Síochána, a representative of the Department of Justice, and two non-governmental Ordinary Members having experience of firearms.

This structure was chosen to give balanced representation to both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.

The Committee consisted of individuals with a high level of expertise and this comes across clearly in the comprehensive reports they have produced.

The reports of the Committee are in line with its detailed terms of reference, which my Department made publically available.

The first report of the Committee provides recommendations on the characteristics of the different types of firearms that should be considered acceptable for licensing by An Garda Síochána. The report also provides guidance on the purposes for which these firearms can normally be expected to be used.

The second report includes recommendations in relation to whether conditions be attached to certificates and additional recommendations on specific issues that the Committee identified, in line with its terms of reference, as being pertinent to its work and which I approved.

The Committee also looked specifically at possible improvements to the licensing process, such as a new appeals mechanism and training for both licence-holders and licensing decision-makers.

As I have said throughout the process, I do not intend to bring in any changes on foot of the Committee’s recommendations until firearms stakeholders, and indeed the general public, have been given a chance to give their views on what is recommended.

An online consultation platform is now being developed. Details of the consultation process will be finalised and publicised as soon as possible, and I will be encouraging as many people and organisations as possible to make their voices heard.

I did not, however, wish to delay the publication of these reports, which I know have been the subject of considerable interest in the shooting community. In the interests of transparency, I am also publishing in full the minutes of the Committee’s nine in-person meetings.