Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 486: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is time, that Ireland began the process of banning all blood sports including stag hunting and fox hunting in view of the recent exposure by the BBC of cruelty to animals. [21404/07]

Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 487: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will examine the licence for catching hares in view of the exposure by the BBC of the hidden cruelty to some animals that this probably exists in other sporting areas. [21405/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together.

My responsibilities under the Wildlife Acts and the Habitats Regulations relate to the conservation of populations of certain wild animals. As foxes are not a protected species under the Wildlife Acts I do not have a licensing or regulatory responsibility in relation to fox hunting.

Applications for hunting licences under the Wildlife Act, 1976, are processed by my Department. Each licence application is dealt with individually and any conservation impact on the particular species is taken into account in line with the provisions of the Act. My Department recently issued a licence to the Irish Coursing Club allowing most of its affiliated clubs to net hares for the purpose of hare coursing. One Club (Westmeath United Coursing Club) has been excluded from the netting licence for the 2007/2008 season following a successful prosecution for the illegal netting of hares in 2006. It was also decided to curtail the number of courses allowed by Cappoquin and Dungarvan coursing clubs. There is no current evidence that coursing has a significant effect on hare populations and my decision to issue this licence took into consideration the final report of the Status of Hares in Ireland – Hare Survey of Ireland 2006/07.

In relation to hare coursing, that report also highlights the significant improvement in hare survival brought about through compulsory muzzling in 1993. While I note that the improvements made by the Irish Coursing Club are having an effect, the results of the survey highlight the need for further research into the impacts of hare coursing at a local level.

My Department has been in discussions with representatives of the Ward Union Stag Hunt concerning their application for a hunting licence for the coming season. I have raised a number of issues of serious concern with the Ward Union Hunt including in relation to conservation and protection of stags generally and compliance with previous licence conditions. I will be making my decision on the licence application as soon as possible.

Animal welfare and legal protection of animals from cruelty are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment that a comprehensive Animal Welfare Bill will be introduced, which will update existing legislation to ensure that the welfare of animals is properly protected and that the penalties for offenders are increased significantly.