Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Under Statutory Instrument 550 of 2005 - Wildlife (Wild Mammals)(Open Seasons) Order 2005, hares may be hunted, with packs of beagles and harriers from 26 September each year and ending on 28 February in the year immediately following, without the requirement for a separate licence.

On dates outside of the Open Seasons Order, a licence may be granted, under section 26(2) of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, to the master or other person having charge for the time being of a pack of beagles or harriers to hunt hares. No applications have been received for such licences over the past five years.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The legality or otherwise of traps used against wildlife is not determined by reference to a list of certain brands or individual traps. S.I. No. 620/2003 - Wildlife Act 1976 (Approved Traps, Snares and Nets) Regulations 2003 sets down the following general specifications in relation to traps:

"The following traps, snares and nets are declared to be approved of for the purposes of section 34 of the Act of 1976, as amended by section 42 of the Act of 2000

(a)(i) a cage or net trap designed to capture alive wild birds or wild animals, and

(ii) a spring trap which is not a gin trap and which is designed to secure either-

(I) the immediate death, or

(II) the immediate unconsciousness and subsequent death without intervening consciousness

, of wild birds or wild animals which it is designed to trap,...”

Under section 34 (1) of the Wildlife Act, there are significant restrictions on the use of traps against wild animals.

An exception to this is set down in section 34 (2) which disapplies section 34 (1) of the Act where the trap “is used pursuant to a statute (other than this Act) or statutory instrument, which is permitted to be done under such a statute or instrument or which is done pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to such a statute or instrument or anything caused by or which results from, or is consequent upon or the effect of any other act or thing which is lawfully done.” Where these circumstances apply, the use of traps is not considered unlawful.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 393 together.

An administrative error was made when the veterinary report for the Freshford Coursing Club meeting was being completed. A figure of 2 was entered into the incorrect line - 'number of hares identified as pregnant' - rather than on the correct line - "number of hares examined for injuries", directly below. The 2 hares in question were examined for injuries. On receipt of the amended veterinary report from the Irish Coursing Club it was uploaded on the NPWS website. There was no breach of the licence conditions.

Separately during the Glin Coursing Club meeting, an additional hare was detected on Day 1 of the meeting. The Club staff were unable to determine how the hare got into the hare park. The hare was a juvenile, not new born, was not tagged and was not coursed. It was boxed and released with the other hares at the conclusion of the meeting. There was no breach of the licence conditions.