Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Non-animate or inanimate. It was a clay pigeon if the Cathaoirleach must know. The National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC has made a very good point about the issue of consultation regarding decision-making about hunting. Last September, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien and the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, following limited consultation, removed four species of duck from the open season order. This in effect banned them from being hunted. My point is not about the rights and wrongs of that decision. Rather, it is about the question of how decisions are made on wildlife and hunting issues and whether rural interests are properly consulted and included in the process. I am talking about farmer representatives and the likes of the NARGC. I think this organisation is the leading voice of the sports and rural pursuits sector, with a membership of some 25,000 people. As with the recent issue I raised about the banning of electronic training collars for dogs and cats, the question is not just about whether it should happen, but whether everybody is being consulted before a decision is made or whether we have government by insiders, where only some stakeholders are heard before decisions are made. In the past the NARGC had a close working relationship with former responsible Ministers like Jimmy Deenihan and Deputy Heather Humphreys. The organisation says that there is no longer such consultation. The review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, recommended a new nature advisory committee. This was supposed to be established by 2022 but has not been. In September 2023, the Minister and Minister of State referred to plans to establish a separate sustainable hunting of wild birds stakeholder forum. This has not happened either. There is an urgent need to establish the proposed nature advisory committee so that all relevant voices - from rural interests to environmental NGOs - are consulted about these important decisions. I do understand the importance of hunting to the rural economy. As I said, I have ambivalent feelings about it. I am very much an animal welfarist but I do believe that decisions cannot be made unless there is proper consultation with all the interested parties.