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Mr. John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government has published the Wildlife (Amendment)
Bill 2010 to prohibit deer hunting with packs of dogs.
The renewed Programme for Government included a commitment
to bring forward legislation to ban the practice of deer hunting
with packs of dogs.
The Minister said - "I am pleased that I am in a position
to implement another commitment in the renewed Programme for
Government - in this instance, to ban the practice of deer
hunting with packs of hounds. The Government has decided that
this particular hunting practice should cease for animal welfare
and public safety reasons."
The Minister added that a large proportion of the Irish public
considers that this activity is no longer acceptable anymore.
The Minister said that the purpose of the Bill
was to ban the practice of deer hunting with hounds and to
increase the maximum fines for wildlife related offences.
"I want to emphasise, despite much comment to the contrary,
that this legislation will have no implications for other
country pursuits - such as fox-hunting, hare-hunting, hare
coursing or deer stalking."
The Minister is proposing to present the Bill to the Dáil
shortly, with the intention that it will be enacted before
the summer recess.
“I look forward to an informed, structured debate in the
Dáil and Seanad on this Bill. I also look forward to the opportunity
to dispel many of the inaccuracies and incorrect claims that
have been made in recent weeks about this legislation,”
said Minister Gormley.
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