(LRC Revised)

Number 12 of 1990

FIREARMS AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT 1990

REVISED

Updated to 30 September 2024

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2024

(31/2024), enacted 4 October 2024, and all statutory instruments up to

and including the

Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act

2024 (Part 9) (Commencement) Order 2024

(S.I. No. 478 of 2024), made 20 September 2024, were

considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

12

of

1990

FIREARMS AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT 1990

REVISED

Updated to 30 September 2024

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

Preliminary

Section

1.

Short title and commencement.

2.

Interpretation.

PART II

Amendments to Firearms Acts

3.

Collective citation and construction.

4.

Extension of Firearms Acts to

crossbows and stun guns.

(Repealed)

5.

Amendment of

section 10

of

Firearms Act, 1925

.

6.

Authorisation to hold defective firearm without firearm certificate.

7.

Possession, sale, etc., of silencers.

8.

Reckless discharge of firearm.

8A.

Other amendments to Firearms Acts.

PART III

Offensive Weapons

9.

Possession of knives and other articles.

9A.

Possession of a realistic imitation firearm in a public place.

9B.

Authorisation of use of realistic firearms at specified venues, theatres, etc.

9C.

Register of dealers in realistic firearms to be kept.

9D.

Restrictions on import, manufacture and sale of realistic firearms.

9E.

Removal of names from register of dealers in realistic imitation firearms.

9F.

Inspection of stock of dealer in realistic imitation firearms.

9G.

Powers by order to restrict sale of certain realistic imitation firearms from specific

date.

9H.

Power by order to require certain descriptions of imitation firearms to conform to

certain specifications.

9I.

Tax clearance

10.

Trespassing with a knife, weapon of offence or other article.

11.

Production of article capable of inflicting serious injury.

12.

Power to prohibit manufacture, importation, sale, hire or loan of offensive weapons.

12A.

Shortening barrel of shot-gun or rifle.

13.

Forfeiture of weapons and other articles.

14.

Power of arrest without warrant.

15.

Search warrants.

16.

Power of search without warrant.

16A.

Provision of information by Commissioner to Minister.

17.

Extension of section 8 of Criminal Law Act, 1976.

18.

Repeal of portion of section 4 of Vagrancy Act, 1824.

Acts Referred to

Criminal Law Act, 1976

1976, No. 32

Firearms Act, 1925

1925, No. 17

Firearms Act, 1964

1964, No. 1

Firearms (Proofing) Act, 1968

1968, No. 20

Firearms Act, 1971

1971, No. 13

Prevention of Crimes Act, 1871

1871, c. 112

Vagrancy Act, 1824

1824, c. 83

Number

12

of

1990

FIREARMS AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT 1990

REVISED

Updated to 30 September 2024

AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE FIREARMS ACTS, 1925 TO 1971, TO CONTROL THE AVAILABILITY

AND POSSESSION OF OFFENSIVE WEAPONS AND OTHER ARTICLES AND TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN

OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [12

th June

, 1990]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of collectively cited

Firearms Acts 1925 to 1990

extended (9.12.1993) by

European Communities (Acquisition and Possession of Weapons and Ammunition) Regulations

1993

(S.I. No. 362 of 1993), regs. 2, 8 and 13(1).

Provisions of Firearms Acts and other Statutes.

8. The provisions of the Firearms Acts and other relevant statutes, including provisions

relating to powers of the Garda Síochána and Customs Officers, shall extend to a European Firearms Pass or other document

to which these Regulations relate and a reference in those enactments to a firearm

certificate shall, where the context so admits, include reference to any such document.

...

Offences.

13. (1) A person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall, without

prejudice to any liability under the Firearms Acts, be guilty of an offence under

these Regulations.

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of collectively cited

Firearms Acts 1925 to 1990

extended (9.12.1993) by

European Communities (Acquisition and Possession of Weapons and Ammunition) Regulations

1993

(S.I. No. 362 of 1993), regs. 2, 8 and 13(1).

Provisions of Firearms Acts and other Statutes.

8. The provisions of the Firearms Acts and other relevant statutes, including provisions

relating to powers of the Garda Síochána and Customs Officers, shall extend to a European Firearms Pass or other document

to which these Regulations relate and a reference in those enactments to a firearm

certificate shall, where the context so admits, include reference to any such document.

...

Offences.

13. (1) A person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall, without

prejudice to any liability under the Firearms Acts, be guilty of an offence under

these Regulations.

...

PART I

Preliminary

Section

1.

Short title and commencement.

2.

Interpretation.

PART II

Amendments to Firearms Acts

3.

Collective citation and construction.

4.

Extension of Firearms Acts to

crossbows and stun guns.

(Repealed)

5.

Amendment of

section 10

of

Firearms Act, 1925

.

6.

Authorisation to hold defective firearm without firearm certificate.

7.

Possession, sale, etc., of silencers.

8.

Reckless discharge of firearm.

8A.

Other amendments to Firearms Acts.

PART III

Offensive Weapons

9.

Possession of knives and other articles.

9A.

Possession of a realistic imitation firearm in a public place.

9B.

Authorisation of use of realistic firearms at specified venues, theatres, etc.

9C.

Register of dealers in realistic firearms to be kept.

9D.

Restrictions on import, manufacture and sale of realistic firearms.

9E.

Removal of names from register of dealers in realistic imitation firearms.

9F.

Inspection of stock of dealer in realistic imitation firearms.

9G.

Powers by order to restrict sale of certain realistic imitation firearms from specific

date.

9H.

Power by order to require certain descriptions of imitation firearms to conform to

certain specifications.

9I.

Tax clearance

10.

Trespassing with a knife, weapon of offence or other article.

11.

Production of article capable of inflicting serious injury.

12.

Power to prohibit manufacture, importation, sale, hire or loan of offensive weapons.

12A.

Shortening barrel of shot-gun or rifle.

13.

Forfeiture of weapons and other articles.

14.

Power of arrest without warrant.

15.

Search warrants.

16.

Power of search without warrant.

16A.

Provision of information by Commissioner to Minister.

17.

Extension of section 8 of Criminal Law Act, 1976.

18.

Repeal of portion of section 4 of Vagrancy Act, 1824.