4A.— (1) A rifle or pistol club or the owner or operator of a rifle or pistol shooting range shall not allow any firearm or ammunition to be used or stored on the premises of or at the club or shooting range in connection with target shooting unless an authorisation under this section to do so is in force.

(2) An application for such an authorisation shall be made to the Commissioner in the prescribed form by an officer of the club authorised in that behalf or by the owner or operator of the shooting range.

(3) The application shall be accompanied by—

(a) the prescribed fee, and

(b) in the case of a shooting range, a firearms range certificate which is in force.

(4) The application form shall contain a copy of any regulations under subsection (13) or of the material part of them.

(5) The applicant shall supply in writing any further information that the Commissioner may need in the performance of his or her functions under this Act.

(6) The Commissioner shall grant an authorisation to the applicant for the use and storage of rifles, pistols and ammunition on the premises of the club or shooting range concerned, or on a specified part of those premises, for the purpose of target shooting only if satisfied—

(a) that their use or storage will not endanger public safety or security or the peace,

(b) that the club or shooting range is responsibly managed, and

(c) in the case of a shooting range, that a firearms range certificate in respect of it is in force.

(7) A decision on the application shall be given within 3 months from the date on which a completed application form was submitted.

(8) The Commissioner may at any time by notice in writing—

(a) attach to the authorisation such conditions as he or she thinks necessary for the purpose of securing that the operation of the club or shooting range and the use and storage of rifles, pistols and ammunition on the premises of or at the club or range concerned does not endanger public safety or security or the peace,

(b) at any time for that purpose vary any of those conditions, and

(c) require that some or all of them be complied with before a specified date.

(9) An authorisation which is in force shall continue in force for a period of 5 years from the date on which it was granted, unless revoked, and for any further such period or periods for which it may be renewed.

(10) A renewal of an authorisation may be applied for within 3 months before the authorisation ceases to be in force.

(11) The Commissioner may, if no longer satisfied in relation to any of the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (6), revoke the authorisation of the club or shooting range concerned by notice in writing addressed to the applicant or the person or persons for the time being responsible for its management.

(12) On receipt of such a notice the person or persons so notified shall forthwith surrender to the superintendent of the district in which the club or range is situated the authorisation and any rifles, pistols or ammunition stored on its premises.

(13) The Minister, in consultation with the Commissioner, may by regulations specify minimum standards to be complied with by a rifle or pistol club or shooting range before an authorisation under this section may be granted in respect of it.

(14) The minimum standards shall be determined—

(a) in the case of a club, by reference to any or all of the following matters:

(i) security of its premises;

(ii) membership;

(iii) management,

(b) in the case of a shooting range, by reference to any or all of the following matters:

(i) security of the range;

(ii) membership;

(iii) management;

(iv) design, construction and maintenance;

(v) types of firearms and ammunition to be used;

(vi) level of competence of persons using the range.

(15) For the purpose of ascertaining whether conditions attached to an authorisation under this section are being complied with, a member of the Garda Síochána authorised in that behalf may, on production if required of the authorisation or a copy of it, enter any premises occupied or used by the club or shooting range concerned and inspect the premises and anything in them.

(16) Any person who by act or omission impedes or obstructs a member of the Garda Síochána in the exercise of the member’s functions under subsection (15) of this section is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of €1,000 and imprisonment for a term of 3 months or both.

(17) The Commissioner shall cause a register of clubs and shooting ranges for the time being authorised under this section to be established and maintained.

(18) It is an offence—

(a) for a club or the owner or operator of a shooting range—

(i) to contravene subsection (1) of this section, or

(ii) without reasonable excuse, not to comply with any conditions attached to an authorisation under this section,

(b) for a person not to comply with subsection (12) of this section, or

(c) for a person, without reasonable excuse, to participate in the activities of such a club or shooting range for which an authorisation under this section is not in force.

(19) In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (18)(a)(i) of this section it is a defence to prove that the defendant took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to avoid committing the offence.

(20) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (18) of this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €2,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both, and

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years or both.

F48[(20A) This section shall not apply to a shooting range owned or operated by the Garda Síochána.]

(21) In this section—

“firearms range certificate” means a certificate issued under section 4B(3)(a) of this Act;

“rifle or pistol club” means a club established for the purpose of promoting skill in the use of rifles and pistols for target shooting;

“shooting range” does not include a range or shooting gallery referred to in section 2(4)(e) of this Act.]