Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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206. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of licences issued to hunt fauna on State-owned foreshore over the past ten years; the number granted to gun clubs and individuals, in Ireland and outside the State; the breakdown of the number of birds killed by species and location; and if he will stop the granting of these licences given that many of the birds specified on the licence application form are threatened amber- and red-list birds of conservation concern. [20265/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Section 30 of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, allows for the granting of permission to hunt protected wild animals and wild birds on or over foreshore belonging to the State. Permits are granted on a five-year basis to individuals and on a one-year basis to gun clubs. The NPWS issued over 4,000 such permits from 2013 to date, of which, 186 were gun club permits.

This permit allows you to hunt on or over foreshore belonging to the State, however, the species of birds that may be shot is covered by the Open Seasons Order.

In response to concerns at the national and EU level on the status of Annex II bird species, my colleague, the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD has commenced a review of the bird species included on the Open Seasons Order. This review is currently open to public consultation until 3 May 2023.

Further information on Ireland's Open Seasons Order and the public consultation can be found on my Department’s website and that of the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the respective links:

www.gov.ie/en/consultation/c98d4-public-consultation-on-amending-the-open-seasons-order-for-birds/

www.npws.ie/legislation/irish-law/open-seasons-order