Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a breach of the legislation prohibiting stag hunting is a matter for An Garda Síochána or the National Parks and Wildlife Service to investigate. [28164/11]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to reports from animal welfare groups that a group (details supplied) continues to hunt deer in direct breach of the new provision of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010; the action he will take to deal with this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28161/11]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the National Parks and Wildlife Service has acted upon eye witness reports and video footage submitted to it at the end of the last hunting season 2010/11; this footage and reports provided evidence that a group (details supplied) was hunting deer with a pack of hounds on various occasions as planned by it on a circulated hunt meet card from October 2010 to March 2011, in clear contravention of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010 which makes it an offence to hunt deer with two or more dogs. [28165/11]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if responsibility for ensuring that an organisation (details supplied) is complying with the terms of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010 and the gathering of proof of breaches is being left solely to anti-hunt observers and the general public in the area; if he will give assurance that the National Parks and Wildlife Service staff will take proactive measures to ensure that deer are not being hunted in contravention of the above mentioned Act. [28166/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 293 to 295, inclusive, together.

The Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010 made it an offence to hunt a deer with two or more dogs, unless such activity was specifically permitted under section 42 of the principal Act. My Department has received legal advice that the practice of running a deer to set a course, catching it up and then releasing hounds and commencing the following of the scent is not hunting as defined in the Acts.

Officials of my Department carry out patrols and site visits to enforce the Wildlife Acts and will continue to do so. They will also continue to investigate all reports of breaches of the Acts. Members of An Garda Síochána are also empowered under the Acts to investigate alleged offences and to prosecute, if they see fit. My Department has investigated reports of illegal hunting in the case referred to by the Deputy but concluded that a prosecution would not be warranted on the evidence available.