Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I second what Senator Lombard said. It gives me a bit of concern. I am at the stage with my kids where we are looking at "PAW Patrol" and a little four-month-old is turning over. When they get to the 10, 11 or 12 years of age, they will have access to mobile phones. There is no regulation in that regard. We need to have a serious discussion about is matter.

The Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, Grange and Newcastle Gun Club has been in existence for years. It has about 90 members. I have referred to it in the Seanad on previous occasions. The club has a number of serious concerns about game hunting, its organisation and the things it loves most. Its members are seeking some reassurance. I hope the Deputy Leader might be able to get some answers from the two Departments and Ministers concerned. The first issue relates to firearms. The latter are the responsibility of the Minister for Justice. The club wants assurances that the proposals put forward by the firearms expert committee will be backed by publicly available data and that all affected parties, including firearm owners and those who will be most impacted by the increased restrictions, will have a voice in the making of the final decisions. Another concern the club has, which I raised previously, relates to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, regarding having full and public visibility of the available data the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, is using to inform decisions on the review of the open seasons order and transparency regarding the stakeholders the NPWS is engaging with as part of public consultation.

I have visited these groups. I have been to the Knockmealdown Mountains to discuss their concerns. They are more concerned than anyone else about the wildlife in the area and preserving the area. They love what they do, but they love the region and their area even more. They feel that many decisions are being made without their having an input. They feel helpless and that they cannot offer their views. They understand the region and their area better than most. All they are asking for is a bit of inclusion and understanding of what they do. I ask for some answers to my questions.