nothing to worry about

BryanL

this is from todays examiner.Gormley's personel opinion sets the law,a very dangerous precedent.
it seems there is a list of restricted calibre's circulating but we are not allowed to see it,has it been decided again by someones bigoted opinion?
but don't worry about it we'll still have 10m air rifle so it's all good
Bryan


04 September 2007

Stag hunting ‘ban’ as Gormley to refuse club licence

By Shaun Connolly, Political Correspondent
STAG hunting is effectively to be banned in Ireland, the Irish Examiner has learnt.


Green Environment Minister John Gormley is poised to refuse a licence for the Ward Union Hunt, which provoked outrage last January when it chased a stag into a Meath school playground as horrified children looked on.

The move, a de facto ban on the blood sport for the first time in Ireland, could come as early as today and is almost certain to provoke a legal challenge. However, it is understood Mr Gormley believes the school mayhem gives him sufficient grounds to act.








Terrified children were forced to cower in classrooms when a frightened stag pursued by a pack of snarling hounds burst through the playground of the Central National School, Kildalkey, as the pupils were leaving.

The stag leapt over a wall into the grounds of the primary school, located in the middle of the village, followed by baying dogs from the Ward Union Hunt.

“They were tearing the deer apart and this was all witnessed by the schoolchildren coming out of their classrooms. The parents who were waiting outside — we couldn’t believe what was happening,” said parent Judith Tonge at the time.

She said members of the hunt followed the animals into the school grounds, where the stag was bleeding heavily. Those children who had left the yard had to run some distance to their school bus, which was unable to park in its usual place in the village because of horses being ridden through the street by huntsmen.

The Ward Union Hunt, the country’s only active stag hunt, described the incident as “very unfortunate”, but insisted the stag was not bleeding and it was normal practice to release a stag then recapture it unhurt.

Mr Gormley’s strong stance against stag hunting is expected to deflect criticism from within the Green Party that hare coursing is to continue. The Department of the Environment issues licences to coursing clubs allowing them legally to net hares for the new season, which began at the weekend.

fits

I bet that school incident is ridiculously exaggerated. And I've never seen a 'snarling' hound in my life...

alan123

I wouldnt be a big fan of hunting myself. I can see how people dont like it. Unfortunately we (shooters) are usually trown into the same category as hunters (on horseback).

rrpc

BryanL wrote:

it seems there is a list of restricted calibre's circulating but we are not allowed to see it,has it been decided again by someones bigoted opinion?
but don't worry about it we'll still have 10m air rifle so it's all good
Bryan

Where have you heard this? There have been no SI's signed in this year so far on Firearms and this would be required for the restricted list to have any force in law.

stevoman

so i suppose coursing is the next target!

rrpc

Actually although there's been no statutory instruments there has been this:

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Brian Lenihan, T.D., in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 53 of the Explosives Act, 1875, as adapted by or under the Adaptation of Enactments Act, 1922, (No. 2 of 1922), has signed an Order appointing Mr. John Guinane to be an Inspector for the purposes of that Act, with effect from 12 July, 2007. Mr. Guinane is also appointed as a Firearms Range Inspector for the purposes of the Firearms Act 1925, as inserted by section 34 of the criminal Justice Act 2006.

BryanL

this is from Sparks on the restricted list thread

There's a draft document, which the DoJ have asked people not to circulate because it's still under heavy review. We've protested this directly and told them that it would be a far better idea to openly publish it but there's been no response so far. At the same time, remember that everything in that Department has just had a major change of boss, so you wouldn't expect speed on executive stuff for the moment.

so there is a restricted list(unsigned) but we are not allowed to see it.

what are the bets there will be a press leak about it, saying the DOJ has drawn up a list of high power snipers guns being used by criminals etc etc
for PUBLIC SAFETY...............

rrpc

BryanL wrote:

this is from Sparks on the restricted list thread

I know there is a draft restricted list. But as this has as yet no force in law and is still being reviewed, I fail to see how you can say it's in circulation.

what are the bets there will be a press leak about it, saying the DOJ has drawn up a list of high power snipers guns being used by criminals etc etc
for PUBLIC SAFETY...............

Has to be published in Iris Oifiguil if it's signed in, so press leaks nothwithstanding we'll still see it. There are major difficulties with it at the moment due to improper description of types of firearms that would be deemed restricted. It's going to be a long time before it's in force.

To be honest, I believe it would be easier for them to produce an unrestricted list. It'd be a lot easier to draft.

Sparks

so there is a restricted list

No, there isn't, and if you'd read what I'd posted on that thread you'd know it. There's a draft in internal circulation within the DoJ. There is no restricted list in operation yet, there hasn't been one approved or issued. The whole process is up in the air and it's showing no signs of coming down for a while yet.

As to the ward hunt being banned, it's a political move with Gormley granting hare coursing licences, but having to give his supporters something, and the ward stag hunt looks to be it. Even the examiner reported that.

Want to blame someone for this? Blame yourself first. When was the last time you wrote in to the DoJ or the papers about something?

Remember the licence fee hike. Every shooter in the country came out and yelled at their local reps and the problem vanished faster than a 10m air rifle pellet heading down the range. Hell, I'm still getting letters from TDs about that talking about how much they helped us.

Mind you, that fee problem, it's not yet settled, don't forget - it's just been deferred.

If we did that kind of shouting on a regular basis, we'd be as big as golf in this country, with the money and the facilities. And you wouldn't be seeing these kinds of problems. But we don't so you do. End of story, really.

fits

alan123 wrote:

Unfortunately we (shooters) are usually trown into the same category as hunters (on horseback).

what does 'horseback' have to do with it?

There are as many beagling clubs as hunts... its the exact same thing, only no horses.

BryanL

sparks i did read what you wrote,there is a list in circulation of restricted firearms,correct?
it's only a draft and not yet official,but there is a list?am i missing something there?

Want to blame someone for this? Blame yourself first. When was the last time you wrote in to the DoJ or the papers about something?

would have written to the papers in the last month,i write to papers,email radio discussions and text and email any votes i hear about and also try and inform as many people as i can that they should too

i have emailed my TD's(bet they love me) about restrictions on gun ownership and today about this by gormley
Bryan

Sparks

there is a list in circulation of restricted firearms,correct?

No, there is a draft list with suggestions on it from whomever sent them in. It was being prepared under the previous Minister and now appears to be kicked to touch, at least for the time being, until the new Minister wants to proceed with it. It's not a restricted list, it's a draft document with no legal weight whatsoever, and it's important to refer to it like that lest some superintendent believe that it's been issued already...

As to the writing you do, good man - now how many of your mates in the local gun club do the same?

thelurcher

That's a balls about the Ward - had invites to hunt with them over the last few years - going mad now I never took them up on it :mad:

I think they should now bow to the minister's wishes and agree a staggered release of the herds - maybe one stag twice weekly - then while they are out legally hunting fox for the season should the hounds riot on the stag sure what can you do

Gormley - you're only pissing in the wind buoy!

Sparks

sure what can you do

Arrest you for unlicenced deer hunting, I'd imagine.

alan123

fits wrote:

what does 'horseback' have to do with it?

There are as many beagling clubs as hunts... its the exact same thing, only no horses.

Ok, I just mean hunting sans gun. I dont know much about it, it doesnt float my boat.

thelurcher

Arrest you for unlicenced deer hunting, I'd imagine.

They wouldn't get very far Sparks - they're finding it hard enough to get a prosecution in the UK at the moment when the hounds riot - and there's an actual ban in place.
I know there's precedent here as well along the lines of the case Hugh Robards won - nothing to do with rioting on a stag mind but on the whole issue of hounds under control.

It was said tongue firmly in cheque Sparks :rolleyes:

Sparks

tongue firmly in cheque

Sounds like an Irish solution to me

spideog7

Well if your dogs chase sheep or cattle or horses or something, they'll be taken and put down... I'm sure if they do the same with stags (even though they are "wild" animals) they should get the same treatment. If I couldn't get my dogs under control when they chased something, I'd personally shoot them. Now if only I could call them off hares :rolleyes:

cmd17hmr

got a message off ca ireland asking me to lobby john gormleys office to grand the club licences to hunt stag.any1 else get this