Criminal Justice Act 2006

New section 10A in Principal Act.

40.— The following section is inserted after section 10 of the Principal Act:

“Reloading of ammunition.

10A.—(1) A person (except a registered firearms dealer or the holder of a licence under this section) who reloads ammunition is guilty of an offence.

(2) An application for a licence under this section shall be in the prescribed form, be accompanied by the prescribed fee (if any) and be made to the superintendent of the Garda Síochána of the district in which the applicant resides.

(3) A superintendent shall not grant a licence under this section unless satisfied that the following conditions are complied with:

(a) the applicant holds a firearm certificate;

(b) the reloading of ammunition will not, in the particular circumstances, endanger public safety or security or the peace;

(c) the person has a special need which, in the opinion of the superintendent, is sufficient to justify granting the licence;

(d) the applicant is competent to reload ammunition;

(e) the premises where the reloading is to take place are sufficiently safe and secure for that purpose.

(4) The superintendent may at any time—

(a) attach to the licence such further conditions as he or she considers necessary for the purpose of preventing danger to members of the public or the peace or for ensuring that ammunition is reloaded only to satisfy the special need of the applicant, and

(b) for that purpose vary any of those conditions.

(5) The licence—

(a) shall be in the prescribed form,

(b) shall be granted for a specified period not exceeding 3 years, and

(c) may be revoked by the superintendent if he or she is no longer satisfied that any condition mentioned in subsection (3) of this section is being or will be complied with.

(6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, does not comply with a condition mentioned in subsection (3) or (4) of this section is guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or both.

(7) The Minister may by order specify the maximum quantity and type of component parts of ammunition that may be purchased, sold, stored or used to reload ammunition by an individual who holds a licence under this section or a registered firearms dealer.

(8) In this section “reloading ammunition” means making ammunition from spent ammunition, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.”.