Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

Following representations from Countryside Alliance Ireland the PSNI have launched a voluntary registration for all game shooting, wildfowling and clay pigeon groups. The main purpose behind the scheme is to remove the unnecessary requirement for shooters to approach individual landowners to obtain permission to shoot, when they already have permission to shoot lands occupied by a gun club or syndicate.

If a club or syndicate register with the PSNI Firearms Branch and satisfy some basic requirements then any member of the group is simply required to produce a membership card or letter to confirm group membership when applying for a re-grant of their firearms certificate.

All groups who wish to participate in the scheme should send the following information to the PSNI.

1. A letter containing the name of the club/syndicate, details of group secretary or syndicate leader (address, phone, mobile & e-mail) and approximate number of members. The group secretary or syndicate leader must sign this letter.

2. Location of lands/shooting grounds accompanied by a 1:50,000-scale ordinance survey map showing location and extent of boundaries.

3. A form of verifiable permission to shoot (lease, contract, letter etc.) including dates to which the permission extends. If this requires renewal, it will also be necessary for groups to send further proof of permission to shoot at each renewal date.

4. Proof of affiliation to a recognised shooting organisation and proof that the club/syndicate is covered by public liability insurance. Membership of CAI satisfies this requirement.

5. A specimen of the club membership card, or specimen letter from the club secretary or syndicate leader.

Members are now able to use this facility, the information (above) should be submitted to: PSNI, Firearms and Explosives Branch, Lisnasharragh, 42 Montgomery Road, Belfast, BT6 9LD

Whilst these new procedures may involve a certain amount of initial administrative burden for participating groups it undoubtedly brings with it substantial long-term benefits for responsible shooters and having played a leading part in its development, CAI is encouraging groups to take the opportunity to participate in this voluntary registration scheme.