asked the Minister for Lands if in future years, when issuing game licences, he will include in the licence a condition that it may be withdrawn for a period of time during the year in exceptional weather conditions, in order to protect the stock of wild fowl and game from extermination by irresponsible persons in such bad weather as has recently prevailed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Protection of Game Stocks.
32.
Game licences are not issued by my Department. I presume that the Deputy is referring to firearms certificates, under the Firearms Act, 1925, which is administered by the Department of Justice.
My recent appeal for a temporary cease-fire, in the interests of game protection, has met in the main with a very satisfactory response.
I do not think the Minister should be satisfied with a very satisfactory response. Apart from the statement which he made in this connection which everybody applauded, would he not, as the Minister concerned with this matter, try to devise some system whereby wild fowl and other birds will be protected in the type of weather we have had for the last four or five weeks?
At the moment this matter comes under the Firearms Act which is administered by the Department of Justice. It is my view that it will be necessary for me to bring in legislation in this connection and when such legislation does come along it may be desirable to take the power to suspend licences in circumstances such as we have experienced this winter.