Department monitoring extreme target shooting competitions - Ahern

CERTAIN KINDS of target shooting were not a sport, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern told the Dáil. He said his department had monitored with concern the development of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), which organised competitions where people shot their way through multi-stage target courses based on real-life combat scenarios.

“From a cursory look at the internet, one will see that these activities are marketed as being at the extreme end of handgun sport,” he added. “The Garda and the reputable representative bodies of those engaged in firearm shooting, including handgun shooting, are against this.”

Mr Ahern suggested that members of the House perhaps did not realise what was involved. He had heard the argument that it was a sport, but it was not.

“The evidence our people and the Garda have received about what has been going on in a number of practical shooting ranges indicates that it amounts to nothing other than a mimicking of combat-style shooting,” he added.

Mr Ahern was speaking during the final stage debate on the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill restricting the use of handguns.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the Minister should forget about the IPSC and deal with target bull’s eye static shooting. Mr Ahern said that would be allowed under the legislation.

Mr Flanagan suggested that the Minister introduce a capped number of licences that could be reviewed each year.

The Minister, he said, was using the argument about extreme sports without providing sufficient evidence to bolster his claim.

“In so doing, he is denying legitimate static-target shooting enthusiasts an opportunity to continue the sport which is accepted internationally,” said Mr Flanagan.

Mr Ahern insisted that there would be no difficulty with normal target shooting and said he did not wish to move against those who were genuine in their participation in a sport. He said people had lobbied Mr Flanagan, as they had members of Fianna Fáil.

“When I explained the reality of dynamic practical shooting, they fully accepted the position,” he added.