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Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has wrongly claimed that the hunting of hares without a licence is illegal in Ireland.
In reply to a Dail Question from Green Party TD Patrick Costello, the Minister stated: "All hunting of hares with dogs is illegal except under licence granted through section 23 of the Wildlife Acts."
This is not true. The threatened Irish Hare is among the species on the Open Season Order which means hunters can kill them for five months of the year - and they don't even need a licence to do so.
Paul Murphy TD questioned the Minister for Heritage about this in a 5 March 2024 Dail Question.
Deputy Murphy asked “if a licence is required for the hunting of Irish hares with packs of hounds”.
In response, Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan (Green Party) stated: “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.”
The requirement for a licence only applies to targeting this species outside the specified dates.
The Green Party Minister said that, in that case, “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.”
In a message to Minister Charlie McConalogue, the Irish Council Against Blood Sports told him that “far from being illegal, shooters are free to blast Irish hares to death and hunters can release packs of hounds to chase them, catch them and rip them apart during a period of 156 days (or more than 22 weeks) of the year.”
The Open Season Order lists the Irish Hare, alongside deer, as mammals which “may be hunted at certain times of the year.” They may be shot, used in “coursing at regulated coursing matches” and hunted with packs of beagles and harriers. This can be done anywhere in the state exclusive of the townlands of North East Slob, North West Slob, Big Island, Beggerin Island and The Raven, in the county of Wexford. https://www.npws.ie/legislation/irish-law/open-seasons-order
It's an outrage that the threatened Irish Hare - considered a jewel in the crown of Ireland's biodiversity - remains on the open season list. This iconic creature must finally be afforded full protection and saved from hunters and shooters.
ACTION ALERT
Tell Ministers Darragh O’Brien and Malcolm Noonan to urgently remove the Irish Hare from the open season order.
Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Minister for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie; natureconservation@housing.gov.ie; WildlifeLicence@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
X: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
X: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm
Contact the leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to demand a ban on hare hunting, hare coursing, fox hunting, mink hunting and all bloodsports.
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1 618 3805 or +353 (0)1 889 2442
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Eamon Ryan
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
X: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
DAIL QUESTION AND ANSWER
Question 390, 05/March/2024
QUESTION
Paul Murphy TD: To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage if a licence is required for the hunting of Irish hares with packs of hounds and if so, how many licences have been issued over the past five years; and the recipients of the licences and how many hares have been killed in hunting during that period.
REPLY
Minister of State for Nature, Malcolm Noonan: 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.
SEE ALSO
Green Party TD Patrick Costello calls for ban on fox hunting, hare hunting, mink hunting
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/02/19/green-party-td-patrick-costello-calls-for-ban-on-fox-hunting-hare-hunting-mink-hunting/