I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 to 49, inclusive, together.
I am aware of some delays in my Department this year in processing deer hunting licence applications and I am aware that many deer hunters have not received their licences yet this year.
The delays arise as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency and the effects this has had on travel and working arrangements. While staff in the unit that deals with the issuing of licences continued to attend the office during the crisis, given restrictions, the numbers of such staff attending was, of course, restricted . The database system used for managing deer licensing is not currently a web based one and some technical challenges arose in facilitating the processing of such licences for staff working remotely with laptops.
Several thousand licences applications have been received to date and over two thousand have been issued thus far. Staff are working flat out to eliminate the backlog as quickly as possible.
I am aware that it has been suggested by individuals, hunting and farming bodies that I would extend licences for the previous deer hunting season to allow hunters with such a licence to hunt after 1 September with their previous licences. However, the provisions in the Wildlife Acts do not allow for the extension of deer hunting licences and licences for last season automatically expired under the law on 31 July this year.
The priority of staff now is to have licences issued as quickly as possible. It is my Department’s intention to review the legislative and administrative arrangements in relation to deer licensing with a view to securing improvements for customers and I will welcome the views of stakeholders in this regard. The main priority for now is to deal with the backlog on hand. In addition, it is the intention to work towards the introduction of an on-line application system and some early work in this regard has taken place and I will work to see that this happens as quickly as possible.
