§ 15. Mr. E. KELLYasked on what princple the farmers in certain parts of Ireland are allowed to have shot guns for the protection of crops and farmers in other parts are prohibited; whether, even in the same county, one district inspector recognises every bonâ-fide application, whilst another district inspector rejects every application; and whether any effort is made to obtain uniformity of administration?
Mr. HENRYPermits to carry arms are issued to persons in the various counties of Ireland by the county inspectors of those counties, under the authority of the competent military authority. In issuing these permits, they have to take into consideration the state of the neighbourhood in which the applicant for arms lives, his suitability to receive a permit, the probability of any raid to take his arms from him and the probability of his being able to resist any such raid. Even in the same county the state of the districts vary. One district may be in a peaceful condition, while in a neighbouring district a state of affairs may exist which renders it unsafe for the county inspector to grant permits. It is the county inspector, not the district inspector, who issues the permits. This secures uniformity of administration throughout the county.