Amendments of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 Paragraph 2: Grant of a Firearm Certificate to a person aged 16 or 17 for a shotgun or airgun
This paragraph provides that Article 7 of the 2004 Order should be amended so that the Chief Constable may grant a firearm certificate to a 16 or 17 old for the acquisition and possession of a firearm (i.e. an airgun with a kinetic energy in excess of 1 joule or a shotgun) for sporting purposes or for pest control.
The extension to control is new.  The current supervision requirement remains unchanged  (i.e. by a person aged at least 21 years and who has held a firearm certificate for that type of firearm for at least 3 years).
In a further easing of current arrangements paragraph 2(2)(b) amends paragraph 11 of Schedule 1 to the 2004 Order to provide for 16 year olds and 17 year olds to have access to a shotgun in the same circumstances as an adult can at present although subject to supervision.
In other words even without a firearm certificate they may shoot for sporting or vermin uses while under appropriate supervision (i.e. by a person aged at least 21 years and who has held a firearm certificate for that type of firearm for at least 3 years).  This access is not permitted at present.