Vol. 396 No. 7
22 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if his attention has been drawn to the concern among the shooting fraternity due to the uncontrolled shooting of migratory birds and other species by foreign tourists; and if he will take the necessary steps to prevent such occurrences.
Responsibility for the protection and conservation of bird species rests with the Office of Public Works, including the protection provisions of the Wildlife Act, 1976, and annual open seasons are applicable under that Act.
It is estimated that visitors coming here on shooting holidays every year contribute over £3 million annually to the Irish economy.
They represent one of the more lucrative segments of the international tourism market and have been identified as a category with further potential for growth. I do, of course, recognise the need for protection and conservation of bird species. I am assured by the Wildlife Service that the situation is closely and regularly monitored by them and that if the Wildlife Service decide that a species is endangered by sporting activity they will use their powers under the 1976 Act to restrict shooting either to certain areas or to remove a species from the open season list altogether.
I agree with what the Minister has said, nevertheless reports are coming in from various gun clubs around the country that foreign tourists are totally abusing their licences to shoot migratory birds and songbirds. Will the Minister ensure that the appeals being made by various shooting bodies be heard and listened to because it is obvious that large numbers of songbirds are being killed by tourists coming in who obviously have no respect for them?
Tourists, like everybody else, have to keep the law. That is the spirit in which we are approached. Any consultations that are necessary will be undertaken.
A final question.
I would like to ask the Minister to ensure that when tourists come into this country it is pointed out to them that they must keep the law.
I will probe that with Bord Fáilte. I do not know if it is helpful for our image to point out specifically to tourists their legal obligations. I assume most sensible tourists know that whether it is on the road, in the shooting field or any other capacity of Irish life they must keep domestic law. I will discuss the matter with Bord Fáilte again.
Ar agaidh anois.
Can I mention that the Ceann Comhairle disallowed my private notice question on the sad and tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a 19 year old girl in Mountjoy Prison last night? Two matters arise from this——
No matters arise now, Deputy, unless you are looking for permission to raise something on the Adjournment.
Until you hear me it will be difficult for you to decide as to what arises.
There is no difficulty at all. I gather you are attempting to restate a matter which already has been adjudicated upon by the Chair. Anyway, the order of the day requires me now to proceed to what has been ordered which is the Health (Nursing Homes) Bill, 1989. I know Deputy O'Keeffe appreciates that.
I suggest you hear me. What I have to say is perfectly in order but you cannot so decide until you hear me.
I think I can decide what is in order now in accordance with the Standing Orders of this House. What is in order is that I proceed with the Order of the House which is No. 10, next item, unless you want to look for permission to raise something on the Adjournment. Then you would be in order.
Would you not hear me out, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, or are we totally muzzled in this House? I wish to say two things, first——
Let me say to Deputy O'Keeffe that I do not muzzle anybody in this House. I carry out the duties of the Chair in accordance with the rules that have been agreed to and laid down by the House. There is no question of me muzzling the Deputy or anybody else but rather do I indicate what I suggest the Deputy already knows, that it is not in order to raise any matters other than those which have been ordered.
I suggest that both matters that I have to raise are entirely in order. The first matter I wish to raise——
The Chair will not listen to them.
It is very difficult to raise any matter in this House when the Chair tells me something like that. In any event it will go on the record——
There is no other event. If the Deputy persists I will ask him to leave the House.
Never in the 12 or 13 years I have been in this House have I been in that situation but I still wish to raise——
The Deputy's history or pedigree in the House is not appropriate. I must carry out the order of the House.
I wish to raise——
The Deputy will not get permission to raise the matter.
I wish to raise a point of order: my entitlement to have Standing Order 31 referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges with a view to broadening its scope so that issues of current importance can be allowed thereunder. I cannot think of anything of greater importance than the issue of life and death.
Each person has his own definition of what is important. Deputy O'Keeffe knows that there are ways and means of pursuing what he regards as being vital to his existence but he cannot do it now.
Am I not in order, Sir, to seek to have a matter raised at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
Not on this occasion.
Are you suggesting, Sir, that it is not in order?
It is not in order for the Deputy to do it now. He should make those representations to his party Whip.
Is the Chair clearly ruling that it is not in order for me to raise a matter which is of concern to me, which I would ask you, Sir, to allow?
I am so ruling, Deputy. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
That is the first issue out of the way and it is the first issue on which I have been muzzled.
I am asking the Deputy to resume his seat. I advise the Deputy that if he persists I will ask him to leave the House. There will not be any second statement by me on that. The Deputy can take his choice.
The second issue on which I believe I am totally in order is that——
The Deputy's credo is not in accordance with Standing Orders and I am asking the Deputy to leave the House.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment of the House a matter on which I find myself totally muzzled. The matter which I wish to raise on the Adjournment of the House concerns the tragic and sad circumstances surrounding the death of a 19 year old in Mountjoy Prison last night. I resent entirely the manner in which I have been dealt with by the Chair in relation to this issue.
The Deputy's resentment of my ruling shows a lack of knowledge of Standing Orders and I hope for the Deputy's own sake that he has not left it too late or taken too much time to raise that matter which I understand has already been raised——
I did not get any help from you, Sir, in the matter.
I am not here to give help to anybody except in so far as they obey Standing Orders.
It is perfectly in order to raise the matter on Standing Orders.
Gach duine agus a chiall féin aige. It is not perfectly in order for the Deputy to do it when he is obstructing what has been ordered this morning.
I do not accept that at all.
