# How do you know if something is legal or illegal?



## truthseeker (30 Apr 2008)

Is there some kind of central repository that a member of the public can consult to know if something is legal or illegal?


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## Vanilla (30 Apr 2008)

The Gardai, or for a fee, their local friendly solicitor? Or possibly even the Department of Justice if you've got time to spare, Citizens Advice or FLAC.


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## truthseeker (30 Apr 2008)

There is something Im specifically wondering about the legality of, Ive asked a few guards, they dont know, Ive asked a solicitor (friend) - he didnt know.

Perhaps Ill try the Dept of Justice!


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## mf1 (30 Apr 2008)

Why don't you post your query here?

mf


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## rmelly (30 Apr 2008)

It's not that deodorant ad is it?


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## Caveat (30 Apr 2008)

truthseeker said:


> There is something Im specifically wondering about the legality of, Ive asked a few guards, they dont know, Ive asked a solicitor (friend) - he didnt know.
> 
> Perhaps Ill try the Dept of Justice!


 
If the guards and your solicitor friends don't know then don't raise the eyebrows of the dept of Justice!

Leave well alone - you might get away with it - whatever it is.


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## truthseeker (30 Apr 2008)

Caveat said:


> If the guards and your solicitor friends don't know then don't raise the eyebrows of the dept of Justice!
> 
> Leave well alone - you might get away with it - whatever it is.



Thats what Im thinking!!!


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## truthseeker (30 Apr 2008)

rmelly said:


> It's not that deodorant ad is it?



hehehehehe - got a right chuckle out of that one


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## PMU (1 May 2008)

truthseeker said:


> Is there some kind of central repository that a member of the public can consult to know if something is legal or illegal?


  If you want to plough through 'the law', all laws enacted by the Oireachtas since 1922 are available on: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/


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## shootingstar (6 May 2008)

come on.... tell us


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

I ploughed through 'the law' as suggested by PMU and am still none the wiser........


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## shootingstar (6 May 2008)

ya ya ya alright. just tell us


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

I dont know if anyone on here will actually know the answer - its a specialised type of a query - Im more interested to find out how I could find out what the answer is!


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## shootingstar (6 May 2008)

ok i give up. Truthseeker your no fun today.


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## Caveat (6 May 2008)

Give us a clue - is it illegal for example in some US states?


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

alright alright!!

Astronomy. Green laser pointers. 50mW output. Class IIIb lasers. Are they illegal in Ireland?


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## csirl (6 May 2008)

The Irish Aviation Authorty might be a good place to start as there are rules regarding the shining of lasers and lights into the sky and their impact on aircraft.


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

csirl said:


> The Irish Aviation Authorty might be a good place to start as there are rules regarding the shining of lasers and lights into the sky and their impact on aircraft.


 
You cannot use a laser pointing device within a certain range of an airport or landing facility - they dont have any info beyond that.


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## rmelly (6 May 2008)

walk up to a Garda, point it in his face/eyes and see what he does (to you).


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

rmelly said:


> walk up to a Garda, point it in his face/eyes and see what he does (to you).


 
Well thats a slightly different question. If I hit a Garda with a baseball bat then Ill be done for assualt - but its not illegal for me to own a baseball bat.


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## DrMoriarty (6 May 2008)

There's some useful guidance (I won't say 'pointers' ) given in sections 3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 of [broken link removed] — but they obviously don't address the question of legality.

This suggests (?) that it is not illegal to sell or own a properly-labelled class IIIb laser pointer in the EU, but says nothing about the legality of their use.


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

Thanks Dr Moriarty - thats more or less what Ive found also. Plenty of info on general safety, issues surrounding usage etc... but nothing on legality.

The reason Im questioning legal issues is that some posts on both boards.ie and on astronomy irelands archived boards suggest they might fall under  'possession of a firearm' - however these posts are just random people talking, there is nothing to back up this claim, and in particular on astronomy irelands website the poster states he 'thinks' and the posts themselves are quite old.

And if you look into buying one (on ebay for example) any of the more reputable ebay sellers (UK sellers with good feedback) state that they do not take responsibility for sales of such pointers into regions where they may be illegal - so Im taking from that that they must be illegal somewhere.


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## truthseeker (6 May 2008)

A user who hasnt enough posts to post here pm'd me and gave me some very relevant info on my question - I asked if I could post it here as it adds useful information to the thread:

"Hi,

I can't post on the Shooting the Breeze thread, but if you do a search on www.irishstatutebook.ie for weapon the most relevant piece of legislation is the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990

This Act covers the definition of a "weapon of offence". Lasers aren't specifically included but infra-red sights for guns are. 

Also Section 9(4) of the Act is noteworthy:

"Where a person, without lawful authority of reasonable excuse (the onus of proving which shall lie on him), has with him in any public place -

(a) any flick knife, or

(b) any other article whatsoever made or adapted for use causing injury to or incapacitating a person,

he shall be guilty of an offence

The other relevant Act is the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 have a look at the definition of assault under Section 2.

This includes the application of light to a person. So it's not necessarily what you own, it's what you do with it that's the problem. Just don't go shining the laser into the eyes of a Garda or you could be done for assault.

Good Luck,
Dachshund"

Thanks Dachshund, I was concerned that possession alone could be an offence, but judging by above it would not be - and if only used for purposes for which it was made (i.e., astronomy) it is probably ok.


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