Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 354: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to an emerging wild snake population here; if there are plans to curb or regulate the sale of snakes here; the regulations in place for importing or selling snakes; his views on a total ban on snake sales and importing snakes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44736/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My relevant responsibilities under the Wildlife Acts relate to control over the importation into the State from outside the European Union of live wild animals, including snakes. Section 52(1) of the Wildlife Act, as amended, prohibits such importation except under licence issued by my Department under Section 52(2). In addition under Section 52(7) any person who wilfully allows or causes to escape any species of exotic wild animal, including snakes or transfers such wild animal to any place in the State for the purposes of establishing it in a wild state unless under licence would be guilty of an offence. I understand that my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service receives occasional reports of escaped snakes but is not aware of any population of snakes living in the wild in Ireland. I do not consider that there is sufficient evidence of a need, at this time for a total ban on the importation of snakes.