 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
15/12/09
Environment Minister Urged To Suspend Hunt Licence Immediately
The Minister for the Environment Mr. John Gormley was today urged to immediately suspend the licence he granted earlier in the autumn to the Ward Union Stag Hunt following a serious incident last Friday when a deer being hunted by the Ward Union was chased onto the main road between Ashbourne and Slane. The deer, which was hit by an on-coming Mercedes, was seriously injured and had to be put down at the scene. It had been seen exiting Seamus Dardis’s farm having begun its chase from Huntsman Pat Coyles premises. The occupants of the car weren’t injured, but callers to Liveline who were travelling behind the car today expressed their horror at what they witnessed last Friday.
“We
cannot wait for the ban on stag hunting promised in the Programme for Government,”
said spokesperson for the AOHS Bernie Wright.
“In the interests of Animal protection and also public liability safety,
we urge Minister John Gormley to immediately suspend the licence he gave
these people to hunt deer for this -their last season. It is clear from
this latest incident that they either cannot or will not enforce the conditions
attached to the licence granted.”
A number
of submissions containing analyses of the OPW Monitoring Reports of the
2008/09 season were made to Minister Gormley during the summer, all of them
highlighting numerous breaches of conditions contained in the licence granted
last year. We ourselves in the AOHS analysed 22 breaches in total in the
reports.
Breaches of Condition 21 which deals with access to public roads were numerous
with the hunted deer crossing busy roads and a motorway on a number of occasions.
“This alone should have meant that Minister Gormley withheld this
year’s licence,” said spokesperson Bernie Wright’-While
we welcome the proposed ban, we are seriously concerned that it will not
come in time to prevent more serious incidents such as that which occurred
last Friday, and which could have ended in disaster for the motorists concerned,
as it did for the unfortunate animal.”- remember this so called sport
is just to amuse the arrogant Ward Union , it serves no other purpose yet
its risking lives every time the hunt goes out!
“The fun-loving animal abusing hunting enthusiasts gathering in Trim tonight to prepare to oppose the proposed ban, should instead try and come up with a more humane way to spend their Tuesday and Friday afternoons - one that doesn’t place the safety of members of the public in such serious peril on an on-going basis for seven months of the year,”
·
Their last attempt at a rally a few weeks ago in Tattersals failed dismally
with less than 100 present -as reported in the Irish Field.
· Hunt member Paul Carberry (JOCKEY) is suspended for January from
Riding due to his drinking .
· WARD UNION KENNELS 01 8256212.
Bernie Wright. Press Officer Association of Hunt Saboteurs Ireland. 087
2651720