Legislative Measures
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-22
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Eileen Lynch (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister of State for being with us this morning to discuss this matter, which relates to the potential impact on Ireland of the EU proposal to restrict lead ammunition. The European Commission has proposed a restriction on lead. The matter is before the EU REACH committee, on which Ireland is represented by officials from the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of enterprise.
It is important to note that in December, the Dáil rejected a Bill which sought to ban all forms of fox hunting. Among those opposing the Bill, there was widespread acceptance that farmers and landowners need to have the capacity to protect their livestock and engage in predator and vermin control. This is primarily done through the use of licensed shotguns which, along with rifles, are also used in game hunting and other rural pursuits. What happens if Ireland's more than 140,000 shotgun and rifle owners can no longer use their licensed firearms because appropriate and safe ammunition is not available? That is a very real prospect.
The original proposal from the European Commission envisaged transitioning to an alternative form of ammunition and cited steel shot in this regard. However, it seems that this option would be both dangerous and unsustainable. More than 80% of firearms in Ireland are unlikely to meet the higher standards required to use steel shot, which would make them redundant. There are inherent health and safety concerns relating to ricochets, which would become a major issue when using steel-based ammunition in shotguns and larger rifles near hard surfaces such as stone walls.
There is no proof house or infrastructure in place in Ireland for firearms owners to check the capability and safety of their firearms. In order to get a gun proofed and deemed suitable for steel shot, it must be exported out of Ireland. This would give rise to a cost of €600 and €700 between import costs, couriers and insurance. Despite previous requests, the State has yet to supply this key infrastructure for users and dealers. It is very important that it be provided.
The European Chemicals Agency has been asked to carry out a health and safety assessment on the impact of such a restriction in each country, with the same being asked of the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of enterprise in Ireland. So far, requests in this regard have not been dealt with.
At European level, in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the primary focus on rearming in many countries at present, there are concerns that the munitions industry will not have the capacity or incentive to upscale the manufacturing of steel ammunition for rifles and other firearms. If the proposed restriction on lead ammunition goes ahead, it will impact tens of thousands of Irish farmers, hunters and other licensed firearms users, many of whom are based in rural areas. This proposal does not have to proceed. It is interesting that practically all of the eastern European states are against it. Quite a few other large states, including Italy and Germany, are also against the proposal and have many concerns about it.
I am seeking an answer on the lack of clarity regarding the position Ireland is taking. So far, it seems that a debate has not been held. There has been lack of any public consultation or structural engagement with stakeholders in this regard. I would appreciate an update if one is available. While it has been reported that Ireland is supporting a possible compromise, which would not ban the use of lead ammunition but would ban its importation into the EU, this would effectively be banning lead ammunition in any event because most of it comes from outside the Union.
I am seeking clarity. There is an EU REACH committee meeting next month. If this question comes up at that meeting, what will be the Irish position? We need a commitment to protect the capacity of licensed shotgun and rifle owners to continue to use their weapons efficiently and, most important, safely.

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Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-22