Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the legal opinion of the Attorney General was sought regarding the licensing of a hunt (details supplied) prior to the issuing of the stag hunting licence on 8 September 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42661/08]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if in view of the definition of wild animal in the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, that is, an individual of a population which primarily lives independent of human husbandry and the fact that deer hunted by a group (details supplied) are captive animals entirely dependent on human husbandry, the continued inclusion of such domesticated animals under the remit of the Wildlife Act 1976 and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 by the Attorney General is justified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42662/08]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if farmed deer are considered to be included in section 26.1(ii) of the Wildlife Act 1976; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42663/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 to 475, inclusive, together.

Section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976 provides that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government may grant to the master or other person in charge of a pack of stag hounds, a licence authorising the hunting of deer by that pack, during such period or periods as is or are specified in the licence.

As part of my consideration of the application from the Ward Union Hunt for a licence under Section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976 for the 2007/2008 season I sought and obtained advice from the Attorney General. The Attorney General confirmed that Section 26 provides for the licensing of hunting of deer by stag hounds irrespective of whether the deer are wild or captive-bred. The advice of the Attorney General in this regard was taken into account in my consideration of the licence applications from the Ward Union Hunt for both the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons.