Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 392: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the rules and regulations in place in respect of a pastime (details supplied). [45923/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 393: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the rules and regulations in place in respect of a pastime (details supplied) in which the participants are non-Irish residents. [45924/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 394: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the rules and regulations for people resident here that are in place in respect of a pastime (details supplied). [45925/08]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 to 394, inclusive, together.

The Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 provide for the making of orders relating to the provision of open seasons for the hunting of protected birds. These orders are reviewed annually by my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, taking account of the conservation needs of the individual species.

Any holder of a annual Firearm Certificate issued by an Garda Síochána, endorsed appropriately to hunt and kill any protected wild bird pursuant to any open season order, whether an Irish resident or a person ordinarily resident outside the State, is permitted to shoot game birds/wild fowl, subject to being entitled to sporting rights over the land in question or being given appropriate permission to use such rights. It is not a requirement for the person to indicate the number of game birds or wildfowl shot.

Although the hunting of birds is covered in general by the orders providing for open seasons, individual licences are required under Section 30 of the Wildlife Act 1976 (as amended) for hunting on foreshore, lakes and inland waters belonging to the State. There are currently some 2,650 such licences. While such licences are applicable to the hunting of fauna generally, they are in practice obtained for the hunting of wildfowl, and are subject to the provisions of the open season orders.