HPL
01-12-2013, 03:22 PM
Had just started doing a little fact checking on UB's most recent thread and came across this. This aught to raise the hair on the back of your necks:
One of the most controversial events in the history of the Firearms Acts occurred in 1972. The "Troubles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubles)" in Northern Ireland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland) (1970–1998) were becoming a security concern for the Irish Government at the time, and in 1972 a Temporary Custody Order (S.I. No. 187/1972 – Firearms (Temporary Custody) Order, 1972)[42] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics#cite_note-42) was issued for all privately-held pistols and all rifles over .22 calibre to be surrendered to local Garda (police) stations by 5 August 1972, for a period of one month. This order was complied with, but when firearms owners returned to reclaim their firearms, they were informed that their licences had expired while their firearms were in custody (Irish firearms licences until 2008 were issued for a period of one year, and all licences were usually dealt with at the same time, usually at the start of August, though the date has changed over the years). Since the firearms were no longer licenced, they could not be returned until a new licence was issued; upon seeking a renewal of their licences, applicants were informed that a new Garda policy was in place that would refuse licence applications for all pistols and all firearms over .22 in calibre. As such, the firearms in Garda custody remained in Garda custody.
One of the most controversial events in the history of the Firearms Acts occurred in 1972. The "Troubles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubles)" in Northern Ireland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland) (1970–1998) were becoming a security concern for the Irish Government at the time, and in 1972 a Temporary Custody Order (S.I. No. 187/1972 – Firearms (Temporary Custody) Order, 1972)[42] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics#cite_note-42) was issued for all privately-held pistols and all rifles over .22 calibre to be surrendered to local Garda (police) stations by 5 August 1972, for a period of one month. This order was complied with, but when firearms owners returned to reclaim their firearms, they were informed that their licences had expired while their firearms were in custody (Irish firearms licences until 2008 were issued for a period of one year, and all licences were usually dealt with at the same time, usually at the start of August, though the date has changed over the years). Since the firearms were no longer licenced, they could not be returned until a new licence was issued; upon seeking a renewal of their licences, applicants were informed that a new Garda policy was in place that would refuse licence applications for all pistols and all firearms over .22 in calibre. As such, the firearms in Garda custody remained in Garda custody.