Ambulance slowed down during hunt 24 February 2006 ICABS has again called on the Gardai to act to keep hunts off public roads. This latest call comes following an incident involving an ambulance being forced to slow down during a deer hunt. It's the second recorded instance of ambulances being affected by hunt-related traffic in County Meath. We have forwarded photographs to Garda HQ and pointed out that the ambulance's lights were flashing as it slowed down to make its way through. ICABS finds it very disturbing that emergency vehicles are being delayed during hunt meetings and we dread to think what the implications are for patient care. We have urged the Health Service Executive to join us in complaining to the Gardai. We are also renewing our call on motorists in Meath and around the country to complain to the Gardai if hunts come on to public roads and interfere in any way with the free flow of traffic. The phone numbers of Garda stations all over Ireland can be found at www.garda.ie. Action Item Please write to Garda HQ and ask for urgent action to be taken to keep hunts off public roads. If you have seen hunters, hunt horses and hounds and/or hunt followers causing inconvenience or danger to road users, please mention this in your correspondence. Mr Noel Conroy Commissioner An Garda Siochana Garda HQ Phoenix Park Dublin 8 An ambulance with its lights flashing is forced to slow down due to hunt-related traffic. The photo was taken during a hunt meeting in Co Meath. Cars slowly moving along at the location of the hunt meet in County Meath. Poorly parked jeeps and horseboxes narrow the roadway and interfere with the freeflow of traffic. A congregation of hunt vehicles at the deerhunt meeting in County Meath. On the left of the photo, jeeps and horseboxes can be seen parked on the actual road. An ambulance vehicle delayed during a Ward Union deerhunt meeting (2003-04 hunting season). For more details, please see the Autumn-Winter 2005 edition of our Animal Voice magazine. News Menu | Join | Top | Home