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Firearms: Northern Ireland

Answer

A person, who is not a member of the security forces, may lawfully purchase, acquire or possess a firearm in Northern Ireland if he does so in accordance with the conditions of a firearm certificate granted by the chief constable under the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 or in circumstances where it is permissible to hold such a firearm without a certificate under Articles 77 or 78 of and Schedules 1 or 2 to the order.Records of firearms held under certificate are maintained by the Police Service for Northern Ireland and include the name of the holder, the serial number of the firearms and, in the case of handguns, the ballistic profile. The chief constable does not maintain similar records for those lawfully held firearms where a firearms certificate is not required.PSNI officers will conduct a risk assessment which will include a check to ascertain the presence of legally held firearms before engaging in any search activity.Any firearm discovered during PSNI searches of residential or commercial property which is not readily identified as being held under a firearm certificate issued by the chief constable or exempted under Article 77 or 78 of and Schedules 1 or 2 to the order is held by PSNI, in the interests of public safety, pending confirmation of its legal status. If found to be held lawfully it is returned to the owner.There is no legal or other process where a firearm may be ““deemed”” to be held lawfully. A firearm is either held lawfully as provided for by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, or is held illegally.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

3920; 679 c63WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Databases Firearms Northern Ireland Police

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk