The Department of the Environment has expressed concern to the Ward Union hunt about its hunting of tame deer in north Dublin and Co Meath, the Dáil was told.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley said his department had written to the hunt advising it that he was considering not granting a licence due to serious concerns relating to conservation, the protection of stags generally, and failure to comply with previous licence conditions.
"Officials of my department then met with representatives of the Ward Union hunt on September 18th, where strong concerns were put to it and discussed. Subsequently, the Ward Union hunt responded by letter on September 28th.
"There is still a number of issues which the Minister wishes to see clarified with the Ward Union hunt and my department will be writing to the hunt shortly. Following a further response from the hunt on these issues, the Minister will then make a decision on the licence application."
Mr Gormley was responding to Tony Gregory (Independent, Dublin Central) who said that, in 1997, a veterinary inspector with the Department of Agriculture noted the deer were not wild animals and it was hard to see how they fell into the ambit of the Wildlife Act. He added that the inspector's report had referred to "stags being terrified, being apparently distressed and exhausted".
Mr Gregory said there must be, at the very least, serious concern that the hunting, with packs of hounds, of tame, domesticated deer caused unnecessary suffering and must, therefore, be in breach of the 1911 Protection of Animals Act. He had witnessed the hunt and observed a "gruelling ordeal" for the deer which could last up to three hours. It could result in "tears, bruises, bites, lameness and exhaustion".
Deers, he said, had died for a variety of reasons, including trying to escape over an eight-foot wall.
Mr Gormley said he knew there were different views as to whether the Ward Union hunt's activities were licensable, given that the deer were considered domesticated animals. His department, he added, had obtained legal advice from the Attorney General's office which confirmed that the legislation provided for the licensing of carted deer-hunting, irrespective of the deer's status.
Mr Gormley said animal welfare, and the legal protection of animals from cruelty, were the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture. "The programme for government includes a commitment that a comprehensive animal welfare Bill will be introduced, updating existing legislation to ensure that the welfare of animals is properly protected and that the penalties for offenders are increased significantly."
