Post Office to handle license renewals?

thelurcher

Local Garda was saying that from next year on they're looking at handling license renewals through the post office.
New applications would obviously still go through the Gards.

Anyone know for sure?

Wonder if the post office would also have to handle the change of calibre etc. details as well?

Sounds like a good idea especially for small rural stations that hate the admin involved in firearms - chasing people up etc.

Sparks

Not too bad an idea. Can't see the PO going for it though, they'd be wondering how long before someone turns up with their rifle to have its license renewed
(And we've seen at least one case where the Gardai requested that this be done to verify that all the owners actually knew where their firearms were...)

civdef

For what is essentially an administrative process, that would make a lot of sense. There is no reason what Garda time should be taken up collecting money and signing forms when this could just as easily be done at the post office. This should free a lot of time up for firearms licencing officers.

I can't see the Post Office objecting at all, many post offices would be very glad of the extra business.

Wasnt there something about extending the duration of a cert from one to 3 years as well?

Sparks

There was something about the extension allright civ, but I didn't hear if the date was going to be a rolling date (ie. your licence lasts for one calander year from whatever date it's issued on, not this daft idea of renewing all 213,000+ licences on the same day every year).

Traumadoc

I just renewed my firearms licence for 5 years here in Australia for about 150 euro- it covers me for all firearms. Renewal in the citys is done by the motor registration people - in rural areas it is done by the post office. Payment by credit card- it is very efficient.

phantom_lord

Sparks wrote:

(ie. your licence lasts for one calander year from whatever date it's issued on, not this daft idea of renewing all 213,000+ licences on the same day every year).

Em..will all those 213,000 licences not still be renewed on or around the same date?

Flattop 15

An Post handling firearms certs?????THAT will be the day!!!!
Considering the effectiveness of them collecting TV liscense revenue.[Which they want to get rid of.].Not to mind running a VERY average postal delivery service.We neednt worry too much then about ever registering a firearm here again.Not to mind the confidentallity of information getting lost or robbed from the post office.one shudders at the thought.

Look.with modern technology and people competant enough to operate it,this liscensing problem could be easily sorted by the Gardai.Make it a four year liscense to the man ,not the gun.Charge an appropriate fee of say 200 euros to maintain the system not make a profit from it.Have the applications handled by a central firearms unit,staffed by people who KNOW somthing about firearms,[Five people maybe?]who apply each applicant and application to the set down parameters of the firearms acts,and thats your problems sorted.Heck,feed it out to a civillian branch of admin in the Gardai,as we are supposed to do in this sub contracting age.End of problem!
But of course that would be too much like thinking!!

woody

In my local garda barracks they require us to bring the weapons into the station each year to confirm what they are when being licensed.


I can't see that in a PO, me walking in with a Rifle, Pump Action shotgun and pistol, they would think it is a stick up

thelurcher

Flattop: the difference between the two would be that you can't therotically buy ammo without a valid gun license.

I was talking to the loacal garda about licensing in general and he said of the 3000 he has to look after only a tiny fraction actually use them - I'd believe it - I've only come accross a handful of lads shooting in the last 10 yrs or so.
The tought of having to pay a 5yr lump sum might encourage these guys to give up the guns altogether.

Keelan

Flattop,
I could not agree with you more.
WELL SAID

Sparks

phantom_lord wrote:

Em..will all those 213,000 licences not still be renewed on or around the same date?

Yes, though any new ones wouldn't be. And with just a small amount of imagination, you could spread the licence renewals around the year evenly...
...yes, a tad unlikely, I know But still.