Vol. 395 No. 7
72 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of increased evidence of preying by marauding foxes on sheep flocks, particularly in the west of Ireland, he will re-introduce a bounty payable to sportsmen to control the proliferation of the fox.
No bounty has ever been paid by the wildlife service for the control of foxes causing damage to agricultural interests and I have no plans to introduce such a bounty. This question is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture. It is of course open to sheep farmers whose flocks are being damaged by fox predation to take appropriate remedial action by lawful means.
