Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Apr 1998

Vol. 489 No. 4

Written Answers. - Shooting Permits.

Gerry Reynolds

Question:

128 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of permits issued under the Wildlife Act 1976 in relation to shooting for game on the River Shannon and its tributaries. [8279/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

Permissions for shooting over lands or waters of the River Shannon and its tributaries, other than foreshore or lands belonging to the State, are a matter for the land-owners or the owners of the shooting rights concerned.

However, section 30 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, gives the Minister power to grant permission 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. In relation to the River Shannon, this would apply only to the tidal foreshore of the Shannon estuary. The number of permits issued in relation to the Shannon estuary is not readily available.