Gun owners who have not yet applied for a new three-year firearm certificate have been urged to contact their garda station urgently or else risk facing prosecution.This is because since last Friday, all owners of firearms who have failed to apply for a new licence are now in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

"A comprehensive audit of all firearms will be conducted shortly by each superintendent in every garda district in the country," a spokesman for the garda said. "Firearms owners should now be mindful that failure to apply for a new certificate... may result in their firearms being seized and may render them liable to prosecution."