COVID-19 is set to cause a backlog of gun licence applications with social distancing preventing pre-licence safety training courses from going ahead.

In order to obtain a licence for the first time, individuals must complete a competency course which they can then include in their application for a licence to An Garda Síochána.

John Butler, who is the youth development officer with the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) conducts roughly a hundred courses a year and said he expects a backlog for first-time applicants.

I would conduct a number of courses every Saturday morning but we’ve had to suspend that

Licences cost €80 for three years and can then be subsequently renewed. “The facilities we would normally use would have to be looked at and we’d have to wait until people can travel more than 20km to reach the training area,” he said.

“I would conduct a number of courses every Saturday morning but we’ve had to suspend that due to COVID-19 restrictions.”

Lifting of restrictions

Butler added that the backlog should be worked through quickly once restrictions are lifted.

It is estimated that there are over 200,000 legally held firearms in Ireland.

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