Vol. 559 No. 1
175 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will make available copies of reports by his Department's veterinary division on the Ward Union carted deer hunt for the 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. [25878/02]
My Department's monitoring of the welfare of deer hunted by the Ward Union Hunt Club is carried out on a spot check basis at the request of the Minister for Environment and Local Government for the purpose of checking compliance with the self-regulating "Hunting Code of Practice" as drawn up by that Department.
I am arranging to send copies of my Department's veterinary reports 1999-00, 2000-01 and 2001-02 to the Deputy. The position regarding the 1998-99 hunting season of the Ward Union, is that monitoring was undertaken but, as the reporting system that followed the principal scientific investigation was in its infancy, no formal report was compiled for Dúchas that year.
