James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

This is the second attack the Minister has made on field sports. The first one to restrict hare coursing was unsuccessful. The restrictions put in place on the carted stag hunt rendered hunting impossible.

It is ironic that a Minister with an avowed objective to ban hunting is in charge of the regulation of hunting. It is doubly ironic that such a Minister is a city dweller, with little feel for rural life.

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