Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 404: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the protection which exists for the feral goat; if, in the absence of protective measures, regulations can be introduced to regulate the hunting and killing of many thousands of these goats in the Burren and elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14618/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Feral goats are derived or descended from stocks of domestic goats that escaped or were released to run wild. They are not regarded as having a nature conservation value and are not protected under the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000. My Department does not therefore have statutory responsibilities for feral goats. The killing of such goats could, however, raise questions of criminal or civil law in specific instances, particularly where ownership of the animals concerned might be claimed as farmed stock which have escaped.