A TD has questioned what she claimed is the "seriousness and permanence" of engagement between the government and gun owner groups.

Offaly TD Carol Nolan was reacting to a reply to a parliamentary question she submitted to Minister of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan.

Nolan had asked the minister why no terms of reference have been published or circulated for a 'firearms forum', and if formal terms of reference for such a forum have been agreed.

The TD claimed that a lack of a "structured forum" for firearms owners "raises serious concerns" about the quality of engagement with gun users.

Responding to Nolan's question, Minister O'Callaghan cited examples of engagement with firearms owner representatives that have recently taken place.

He said that his department holds meetings with individual firearms organisations on request and engages with firearms stakeholders, including representative firearms organisations, in various ways.

An Garda Síochána also meets with firearms stakeholder organisations in respect of relevant matters, and officials from the department "liaise regularly" with the Firearms Policy Unit of An Garda Síochána on firearms-related matters, the minister said.

"Throughout 2025 and into this year, my department organised a series of exploratory engagements with firearms stakeholders in Wicklow, Limerick, Carrick-on-Shannon, Mullingar, and Kilmainham," Minister O'Callaghan said.

"The purpose of these meetings is to provide a mechanism for ongoing engagement with firearms stakeholders from a broad range of areas within the firearms community, ensuring their valuable insights in specific areas of firearms can be considered in any future policy and legislative changes that may arise," the minister added.

He said that the most recent meeting between the department and firearms stakeholders took place on April 28, following meetings in September, December and January.

Attendees at those meetings included several representative organisations, experts in technical areas of firearms, and members of An Garda Síochána’s Firearms Policy Unit.

"I am aware that there was a wide breadth of issues relating to the application and administration of firearms legislation raised at these meetings and it is intended to address these matters further through the next phase of engagement," Minister O'Callaghan said.

He said that both he and his officials have engaged with several groups, including the National Association of Regional Games Council (NARGC); in which the minister and his department "have confirmed our support for more regular and structured engagement between policymakers and firearms users".

According to the minister, extensive consultation has been undertaken on reform of the firearm licencing system; and a further consultation with stakeholders is expected to take place in the coming months.

He encouraged firearm stakeholders to make submissions on the licencing issues at upcoming engagement with the department.

Absence of structured forum

Reacting to the minister's reply, Deputy Nolan said that the absence of a structured forum with clear terms of reference “raises concerns about the seriousness and permanence of engagement with lawful firearms users, many of whom are farmers, rural residents, and members of the shooting community who use firearms for pest control, crop protection, and sport".

"Law-abiding firearms owners in rural Ireland, including thousands of farmers, deserve structured, transparent engagement, not ad-hoc meetings," Nolan said.

She called for a a "properly constituted forum with published terms of reference to address licencing, administration, and legislative issues".

"Farmers and rural sports enthusiasts must have a real voice in policy that affects their daily lives and livelihoods," Nolan said.