Vol. 556 No. 3
679 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if there was an arrangement between a person (details supplied) from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Irish Coursing Club to traffic hares from Borris-in-Ossory and Wexford and district to an open coursing meeting in Clonmel, County Tipperary, during the 2000-01 season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20138/02]
All coursing meetings for the 2000-01 season, including that held at Clonmel, were regulated by a licence issued by my Department to the Irish Coursing Club on 28 August 2001. Condition 11 of that licence specifies that all hares must be released into the wild immediately after a coursing meeting has concluded.
No other arrangement was authorised by my Department in relation to the Clonmel or any other coursing meeting during 2000-01.
680 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the investigation into breach of regulations by the Edenderry Coursing Club will be finalised; the action which will be taken; when the records and reports of this matter will be released under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20139/02]
The Edenderry and District Coursing Club meet was monitored on 20 and 21 October 2001 by conservation rangers of my Department in relation to compliance with the conditions of licences issued under sections 32 and 34 of the Wildlife Acts. Based on reports of this monitoring, consideration was given to the prosecution of the club for alleged breaches of the Wildlife Acts, 1976-2000. Following recent legal advice, it has, however, been decided that a prosecution should not be taken in this case.
However, having regard to non-compliance acknowledged by the club in relation to certain conditions of licences prior to the 2001-02 season, the Edenderry and District Coursing Club has been excluded from the licences issued by my Department under the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, to the Irish Coursing Club for the 2002-03 coursing season.
A number of requests were received under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, to release the Department's monitoring reports of the meeting of the Edenderry club at a time when legal proceedings were being considered. These requests were refused on the basis of the exemption available for records relevant to pending law enforcement. As requests for legal proceedings are not now contemplated, requests for the release of this information may be considered.
