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NPWS issue thousands of licences for killing of protected animals
29 May 2015
The National Parks and Wildlife Service has issued thousands of licences which permit the killing of protected species. The latest available figures, from 2013, show that nearly 7,000 licences were granted, most of which were for destroying animals that are supposedly "protected".
A total of 4,563 shooting licences were given out to deer hunters, 565 licences for hunting over state foreshores/lakes and 86 licences for the hunting of pen-reared birds which are released and later blasted out of the sky.
493 licences were also issued by the NPWS for killing protected wild birds and animals causing "serious damage" to "food (including human food products and animal feeds), livestock, poultry or agricultural crops, pen-reared wild birds, other fauna, flora, woodland or forest plantation, or a fishery, buildings and other structures and their contents, or aquaculture installations."
Last year, it emerged that the National Parks and Wildlife Service issued a licence to a business owner for the killing of a rare and protected pine marten. The damage which merited a death sentence? "Urinating/defecating or other damage to stock," the NPWS Licensing Unit stated in response to an enquiry from ICABS.
Details of the licences issued in 2013
| Deer hunting | 4,563 |
| Hunt over State foreshore/lakes | 565 |
| Pen-reared birds | 86 |
| Serious damage caused by protected wild birds/animals | 493 |
| Wildlife dealers | 82 |
| Protection of wild birds, animals and flora | 179 |
| Film/photograph wild birds/animals | 103 |
| Retain injured birds and animals | 53 |
| Ringing/marking protected wild birds/animals | 122 |
| Birds of prey possession | 199 |
| Engage in falconry | 205 |
| Derogations | 129 |
| Other licences | 176 |
| Totals | 6,955 |
Deer Hunting Licences - Deer Hunting Licence applications are considered, under Section 29(1) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended)
Licence to Hunt Fauna on State-Owned Foreshore - Permissions are given by the Minister under Section 30 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended), to hunt fauna on or over foreshore belonging to the State or on or over land belonging to the State and which is either covered by any inland waters or comprised in the lakeshore accretion from any lake.
Licence to Hunt Pen-Reared Birds - The Minister is empowered, under Section 22(9)(b), to grant licences for the hunting of pen-reared birds. Licences are given subject to applicants satisfying local management staff in relation to the release of stock. Licences for hen pheasants are largely restricted to 35% of the stock released. Licences are restricted to the periods of 1st November to the 15th February for pen-reared hen pheasants and 1st September to 31st January for pen-reared partridge.
Licence to Stop Damage to Flora and Fauna by Wild Animals - Section 42 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides, inter alia, that where protected wild animals or birds are causing serious damage to: food (including human food products and animal feeds), livestock, poultry or agricultural crops (including vegetables or fruit) either on pasture or on cultivated land, pen-reared wild birds on any land, other fauna, flora, a woodland or a forest plantation, or a fishery, buildings and other structures and their contents, or aquaculture installations. The owner or occupier may on application to the Minister seek a permission to take appropriate steps to stop the damage.
Wildlife Dealer's Licence - Section 48 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides for wildlife dealer's licences.
Licence to Photograph or Film a Protected Wild Animal or Bird - The Minister is empowered to give licences: under Section 23 (6)(b) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) for a person to take or make photographic, video or other pictures of a protected wild animal of a species specified in the licence, and under Section 22 (9)(f) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) for a person to take or make photographic, video or other pictures of a protected wild bird of a species specified in the licence on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young.
Licence To Keep an Injured or Disabled Protected Wild Animal - Under Section 23(6) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) the Minister may grant a licence to a person to have in possession for a reasonable period of time an injured or disabled protected wild animal, or one or more than one dependant young of a protected wild animal which is orphaned with the intention of tending and later releasing such animal or young back into the wild when and only when such animal or young, as the case may be, is no longer injured, disabled or dependant. To a person to retain possession of a protected wild animal, that for reasons of disability or for other reasons deemed reasonable by the Minister, would, if released, be unlikely to survive unaided in the wild.
Licence to Attach a Marking/Tagging Device to a Wild Animal / Bird - Section 32 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides that it is an offence for a person, other than under a licence from the Minister, to mark by cutting, branding or tattooing, or to attach any band, ring, microchip, tag or other marking device to any wild animal or wild bird or to take by net, trap or by any other means any such animal or bird for that purpose.
Licence to Possess Birds of Prey - Under Section 41, Regulations were made in 1984 entitled the Wildlife Act, 1976 (Birds of Prey) Regulations,1984. These Regulations make the possession and use in falconry of birds of prey of the order Falconiformes subject to the granting of Licences in that regard and provides for a charge for such Licences. The Regulations also lay down the conditions under which a bird of the order Falconiformes may be taken from the wild or maintained.
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to protect Irish wildlife and stop issuing wildlife killing licences.
Email "Stop issuing licences for the killing of protected animals" to Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie
[Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie,ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie,taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie,joan.burton@oireachtas.ie,wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie]
Tel: (01) 631 3802 or (01) 631 3800
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Tweet to Heather Humphreys: @HHumphreysFG
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SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)
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Dear Minister Humphreys,
I was horrified to learn that the National Parks and Wildlife Service division of your department is issuing thousands of licences for the killing of protected animals. This is unacceptable. I urge you to act to protect Irish wildlife and stop facilitating those intent on destroying it. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] |
Appeal to the Minister for Agriculture
Please appeal to the Minister for Agriculture to remove an exemption for hare coursing from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Simon Coveney, TD
Minister for Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie
Tel: 01-607 2884 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and ask him to back a ban on hare coursing.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion Street,
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6194020
Fax: 01-6764048
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Videos: Ireland's hare coursing cruelty
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