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Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information


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garda complaints

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  • 16-10-2018 12:03pm
    #1
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭


    Hi lads. Does anybody know what way I could go about lodging a complaint against the local station regarding the time my licence is taking? Three of us in the area have spent considerable amount of time and cash leasing land for deer stalking this season. 7 weeks in and we've got no licences. We put our applications in 3 months ago. I've been ringing them every week to see what the story is and the keep fobbing me off. Sick of them at this stage


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    #2
    Hack12
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭Hack12


    If your firearms application is in over 3 months it is deemed as automatically denied. Phone the firearms policy unit in tge Phoenix Park and see if they can help or else contact your superintendents office if it is unrestricted licence or chief superintendents office if it is a restricted licence.


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    #3
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    Hack12 wrote:
    If your firearms application is in over 3 months it is deemed as automatically denied. Phone the firearms policy unit in tge Phoenix Park and see if they can help or else contact your superintendents office if it is unrestricted licence or chief superintendents office if it is a restricted licence.

    My licence was approved 6 weeks ago but I had to send it back with an fca2 form as they f××cked up the serial number on the licence. So I'm waiting 6 weeks for a poxy amendment! Surely it's not that much hassle for them to rectify


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    #4
    Hack12
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭Hack12


    I would get onto the district office and see if they can sort it out or failing that the firearms unit.


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    #5
    Grizzly 45
    Registered Users Posts: 14,946 ✭✭✭✭Grizzly 45


    Contact the Supers office for your district and inform him that this delay is now costing you financially as you are at a loss from not being able to fulfill your part of the contract of culling deer on your let,and that the problem is squarely on his door due to the incompetence of people under his command,and could he please place with great force some Garda issued boot to some backside and get this sorted?? In the nicest possible way ..Hand deliver the letter too,as it cant "get lost in the post" then.

    "If you want to keep someone away from your house, Just fire the shotgun through the door."

    Vice President [and former lawyer] Joe Biden Field& Stream Magazine interview Feb 2013 "



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    #6
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    cd07 wrote: »
    Hi lads. Does anybody know what way I could go about lodging a complaint against the local station regarding the time my licence is taking?
    • Letter to ombudsman
    • Letter to super
    • Letter to FPU (Firearms Policy Unit)
    Substitute letter for phone, e-mail as appropriate.
    We put our applications in 3 months ago.
    Unless it's over three months then you have no grounds for a complaint. The Act gives An Gardaí 3 months to process a license. If after three months you have no word you are, under the Act, deemed automatically refused and should receive a letter to the same.

    If you haven't been refused and it's just taking longer than usual you can contact your FO and ask them to hurry things along. If you still don't get it, or it arrives months after the 3 month time frame has expired then you can make all the complaints you want to the above person(s).
    I've been ringing them every week to see what the story is and the keep fobbing me off. Sick of them at this stage
    Hate to be the wet blanket and i feel for ya, but as said above you need to check the date the license was applied for. You might have dropped it in 7 weeks ago, but An Gardaí don't measure the 3 month time frame until they start the process at which point you receive the standard "we received your application for a firearm .............." letter. So if they only started that last weeks, 6 weeks after ye dropped in the applications, then to AGS it's only been a week. Its the reason why they [AGS] can claim such fast turn around times when it comes to firearm licensing stats. It's also why we stress to get a receipt when you drop off any applications.

    Have you gotten this "received" letter yet? If not then it's not going to be coming any time soon.
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    #7
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    Thanks Cass I have received that letter in early August and got the approval letters and licence only to find out the serial number on the licence didn't match the gun. So send in amendment fca2 form 7 weeks ago and haven't had anything since. Gonna try and arrange to meet the super to explain


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    #8
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    My apologies i misread your second post in relation to the first.

    So it's just the amended license you're waiting on? In that case 7 weeks is taking the piss.

    Get onto the FPU, and get them to sort the license. Once you get the license then you can look into lodging your complaint.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



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    #9
    aaakev
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭aaakev


    Jasus thats rough, my last licence had the wrong serial number so i couldn't pick up the gun, quick call to the guard who process them and she did it while on the phome to me! I had the amended one out in 3 or 4 days so it can be done that quick if they want to. Im in a busy district too


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    #10
    juice1304
    Registered Users Posts: 1,805 ✭✭✭juice1304


    Ring the FPU i had them change a serial number over the phone because they entered it into Pulse wrong. I had the amended licence two days later.


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    #11
    opfleet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 59 ✭✭opfleet


    The delay could be any of the following reasons;

    -They are still trying to contact your referees..
    -Something has come up in your background checks (This does not mean you have been arrested etc..It could have intelligence that would not be disclosed to you)
    -The Garda designated to your application has been off sick, training etc.
    -The Garda over your application has just lost it, forgot about it..(Their human, it happens in every job)

    Best thing to do is email the Superintendent and find out. Going to GSOC is not going to get you the licence any quicker..They just investigate wrongdoing on behalf of the Garda.


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    #12
    gunny123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,611 ✭✭✭gunny123


    Drop into the station and ask first, rather than jump in all guns blazing and getting everyones back up. If they are messing you about, then go for them.


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    #13
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    juice1304 wrote:
    Ring the FPU i had them change a serial number over the phone because they entered it into Pulse wrong. I had the amended licence two days later.

    Hate to be a pain but you wouldn't possibly have the number for the fpu would ya?


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    #14
    Asus1
    Registered Users Posts: 560 ✭✭✭Asus1


    cd07 wrote: »
    Hate to be a pain but you wouldn't possibly have the number for the fpu would ya?

    016661916 Tim or martin,absolute gents to deal with


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    #15
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    The thing about an FCA2 amendment is you don't need the Super to be involved. You have been granted the license, its simply an admin error. The FO or as said above, the FPU can do a reprint.

    I'm guessing if it's the amendment via the FCA2 you're waiting on that its been lost.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



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    #16
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    Thanks for all the replies. Was talking to Tim in FPU. Absolute sound guy hes organised a reprint and said I should have corrected permit by Friday!


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    #17
    k31
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭k31


    Left in an FCA1 12 weeks ago this Tuesday for a substitution on a like for like basis. According to Commissioners guide lines this should take no more than 14 days. Six weeks ago was told by the Guard who enters the information on the pulse system that he had left the paperwork on the inspectors desk for approval and its still there. If these people were in the private sector they would be sacked.


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    #18
    cd07
    Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    Absolute anti-gun jokers if u ask me..


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    #19
    opfleet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 59 ✭✭opfleet


    k31 wrote: »
    Left in an FCA1 12 weeks ago this Tuesday for a substitution on a like for like basis. According to Commissioners guide lines this should take no more than 14 days. Six weeks ago was told by the Guard who enters the information on the pulse system that he had left the paperwork on the inspectors desk for approval and its still there. If these people were in the private sector they would be sacked.
    Yes, but in the private sector they are not under resourced. The Inspector has files on assaults, rape, fraud sitting on his desk and he has to choose what is more important.


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    #20
    Grizzly 45
    Registered Users Posts: 14,946 ✭✭✭✭Grizzly 45


    It's more like the chain of internal logistics is too long.:)

    Application goes from receiving Garda at station hatch to the Firearms officer[at local rural station, disregard, if the local divisional station is your local,] From local station transported into the District HQ,to the District HQ firearms officer, who sends it up to the secetary[Sgt] of the Super,who then decides. If it is restricted, it goes to the Super then up to the chief Supers secretary and then the chief signs off.

    And of course other work or whatever will pull people off this chain due to understaffing, so files will end up sitting on desks and IN or OUT trays for the weeks.No wonder they need 90 days to grant/refuse.:eek:

    Were it private sector you would have to streamline this to three or fewer steps.:)

    "If you want to keep someone away from your house, Just fire the shotgun through the door."

    Vice President [and former lawyer] Joe Biden Field& Stream Magazine interview Feb 2013 "



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    #21
    BryanL
    Registered Users Posts: 1,124 ✭✭✭BryanL


    Hack12 wrote: »
    If your firearms application is in over 3 months it is deemed as automatically denied. Phone the firearms policy unit in tge Phoenix Park and see if they can help or else contact your superintendents office if it is unrestricted licence or chief superintendents office if it is a restricted licence.


    Is this definite regarding 3 months? They sat on mine for over 2 months and only started moving on it then I had to drop down pictures 2 weeks ago to prove a Remington 700 "looks like a gun" and they haven't look at the picture yet.

    3 months will be up next week.
    B


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    #22
    Grizzly 45
    Registered Users Posts: 14,946 ✭✭✭✭Grizzly 45


    The 90 days is there all right,it is in the legislation.

    "If you want to keep someone away from your house, Just fire the shotgun through the door."

    Vice President [and former lawyer] Joe Biden Field& Stream Magazine interview Feb 2013 "



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    #23
    BryanL
    Registered Users Posts: 1,124 ✭✭✭BryanL


    Grizzly 45 wrote: »
    The 90 days is there all right,it is in the legislation.


    So should i just keep quiet and hope they do it in 100 days or start again?


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    #24
    solarwinds
    Registered Users Posts: 535 ✭✭✭solarwinds


    Stick with one of my .22's took 9 months, there were no problems it just took that long, I eventually got it.
    I think its like most laws here they just seem to ignore it in most cases for now anyway.


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    #25
    aaakev
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭aaakev


    solarwinds wrote: »
    Stick with one of my .22's took 9 months, there were no problems it just took that long, I eventually got it.
    I think its like most laws here they just seem to ignore it in most cases for now anyway.

    My first one back in 2008 or that took about 9 months too, ever since then they have all been within 3 weeks with the quickest turned around in 5 days! My local guys are sound to deal with and will help out where they can


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    #26
    tac foley
    Registered Users Posts: 5,500 ✭✭✭tac foley


    Ah, look on the bright side. If you had the misfortune to be living in Essex you'd be getting a letter aknowledging receipt of your application advising you that you were now at the bottom of a pile with a 43-week wait.


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