Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD, has announced the opening of public consultation to review and update wildlife legislation in Ireland. The public consultation runs until September 13th.

The public consultation and review will be conducted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS ) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The legislation being updated includes the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, and related Regulations. This legislation covers areas such as the protection of birds, the protection of certain wild animals, and the protection of certain lands, sites and habitats.

The objectives are to update legislation so that it better protects nature, helps prevent biodiversity loss, is fully compliant with EU law, and is easier to enforce and comply with. It is anticipated that two new Wildlife Bills and several new Statutory Instruments will be published arising from this work.

The update of legislation will be completed over several years and will entail several phases of public consultation. The key focus of the initial phase of the legislation update will be on strengthening the enforcement of wildlife crime.

The first phase of the consultation is an online public consultation and will run until Friday 13th September 2024. Members of the public are invited to contribute their views on the priorities for any new legislation, anomalies that should be addressed, protections that should be strengthened and any other aspect of our wildlife legislation they think should receive close attention during the review.

For more information and to participate in the public consultation click HERE

The next event in the 2024 Series of HCAP Assessments will be on Saturday 17th August 2024 (Training Workshop & MCQ) followed on Saturday 24th August 2024 (Range Test). This will the final event in the 2024 Series and the last opportunity to achieve HCAP Certification in 2024. Full details will be posted here shortly.

The candidates listed below all completed their two-stage Deer Alliance Hunter Competence Assessment Programme with their Range Test at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore on Saturday 6th July 2024. Thanks, as always, go to the Midland Range management and personnel, including Tony Saunders and J. P. Craven, and to Deer Alliance Range Officers Liam McGarry and Pat Scully. Successful candidates received their HCAP Certificates, ID cards and badges from HCAP Course Director, Liam M. Nolan.

NEW HCAP-CERTIFIED CANDIDATES, DATE OF CERTIFICATION 6th JULY 2024:

BAZRUCKO, Dimitrij, 2024/0080
BRASSO, Balazs, 2024/0083
BRESLIN, Anthony, 2024/0084
BULFIN, Johannes, 2024/0108
CONNORS, Thomas, 2024/0089
CRANNY, Neil, 2024/0081
CUMMINS, Kieran, 2024/0103
DICKENSON, Gregory, 2024/0094
DICKENSON, Patrick, 2024/0095
DORAN, Dylan, 2024/0099
EAGER, Graham, 2024/0106
FOLEY, Ian, 2021/0025
FOX, Shane, 2024/0082
FRENCH, Terry, 2024/0086
GARIB, Sayf, 2024/0028
GLENDON, Philip, 2024/0074
GLYNN, Alan, 2024/0014
JOEL, Chris, 2024/0104
KELLY, Martin, 2024/0098
KIRWAN, Edward, 2024/0019
KIRWAN (Jnr.), Edward, 2024/0020
KIRWAN, Jason, 2024/0021
KIRWAN, John, 2024/0022
MacSWEENEY, Ronan, 2024/0050
McCARTHY, Peter, 2024/0110
MAGUIRE, David, 2024/0096
MILEY, Darragh, 2024/0102
MURRAY, Mark, 2024/0105
NOLAN, Alan, 2024/0087
O’DONOHUE, Brion, 2024/0088
O’NEILL, Michael, 2024/0041
RONAN, Darren, 2024/0015
ROSS, Dale, 2024/0111
SMITH, Adam, 2024/0085
TURLEY, Bobby, 2024/0107
TURLEY, Max, 2024, 2024/0090
TWOMEY, Michael, 2024/0109

The list of successful candidates included members of IFA Countryside, who benefited from a 40% subsidy of the ordinary HCAP fee, courtesy of IFA Farm Business Skillnet. Successful candidates are enrolled as members of the Association of HCAP-Certified Hunters except where they have opted out of membership. Candidates who were No-Shows or Deferrals at this Range Test will remain eligible to participate in the next scheduled Range Test on 24th August 2024 except where they have missed two or more earlier events. Reminders are not issued.

GALLERY (SOME OF THE NEWLY-CERTIFIED HCAP CANDIDATES, 6th JULY 2024)

The following candidates (HCAP numbers, followed by mark achieved) were successful in the HCAP MCQ held in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, on Saturday 29th June 2024 and are eligible to participate in the HCAP Range Test to be held at the Midlands Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly R35 NC58 on Saturday 6th July 2024. Procedures for Range Tests will be posted here separately.

Candidates who were Deferrals or No-Shows at this MCQ on 29th June 2024 will be carried forward to the next scheduled MCQ, except where they have missed two or more MCQs without notice, in which case they are now de-listed as eligible and must re-enter the HCAP process as Repeat Candidates if they wish to complete their HCAP Certification.

2024/0085, 94%, Pass
2023/0130, 94%, Pass
2024/0107, 92%, Pass
2024/0090, 98%, Pass
2024/0109, 90%, Pass
2024/0080, 96%, Pass
2024/0083, 90%, Pass
2024/0084, 80%, Pass
2024/0108, 90%, Pass
2024/0089, 86%, Pass
2024/0068, 80% Pass
2024/0081, 96%, Pass
2024/0103, 84%, Pass
2024/0094, 80%, Pass
2024/0095, 80%, Pass
2024/0101, 90%, Pass
2024/0099, 90%, Pass
2024/0106, 80%, Pass
2024/0082, 86%, Pass
2024/0086, 94%, Pass
2024/0028, 90%, Pass
2024/0074, 92%, Pass
2024/0014, 96%, Pass
2024/0091, 96%, Pass
2024/0104, 88%, Pass
2024/0098, 88%, Pass
2024/0102, 90%, Pass
2024/0100, 100%, Pass
2024/0105, 86%, Pass
2024/0087, 96%, Pass
2024/0088, 86%, Pass
2024/0041, 92%, Pass
2024/0015, 94%, Pass
2024/0111, 86%, Pass
2024/0019, 88%, Pass
2024/0020, 82%, Pass
2024/0021, 86%, Pass
2024/0022, 88%, Pass
2024/0050, 84%, Pass
2024/0110, 94%, Pass
2024/0096, 96%, Pass

The following candidate (HCAP number, followed by mark achieved) was unsuccessful and is required to re-sit the MCQ stage before proceeding to any Range Test. The application fee for Repeat Candidates is €50.00. “Fail” grades may be appealed to the HCAP Assessment Committee, subject to written application accompanied by re-checking fee, €50.00. Where written application for re-checking is received, it is reviewed by the Committee at the next scheduled Committee meeting following receipt of application. Applications for re-checking must be received within 10 (ten) days of publication of results on this blog.

2024/0097, 72%, Fail

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE NEXT EVENT IN THE 2024 SERIES OF DEER ALLIANCE HCAP TRAINING WORKSHOPS & MCQs.

The next event in the 2024 Series of Deer Alliance HCAP Training Workshops & MCQs will be held on Saturday 29th June 2024 (10am – 5pm), followed on Saturday 6th July 2024 by the supporting Range Test for successful MCQ Candidates. The venue for the Workshop & MCQ is the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Co. Carlow, R93 N207. The Range Test will be held at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, R35 NC58.

ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES

The following candidates are eligible to participate in the HCAP Training Workshop & MCQ talking place on Saturday 29th June 2024. The list includes candidates who were Deferrals or No-Shows at previous Workshops & MCQs. Candidates having missed two or more events may be de-listed as eligible if they fail to attend this next scheduled event. If such candidates wish to complete their HCAP certification process, they will be required to re-enter the process as Repeat Candidates, subject to the standard Repeat Fee of 50.00.

ARNOLD, Conor
BEZRUCKO, Dmitrij
BRASSO, Balazs
BRESLIN, Anthony
BULFIN, Johannes
CONNORS, Thomas
CORCORAN, Gerard
CRANNY, Neil
CUMMINS, Kieran
DICKENSON, Gregory
DICKENSON, Patrick
DIGGINS, Josh
DORAN, Dylan
EAGER, Graham
FOLEY, John
FOX, Shane
FLYNN, Declan
FRENCH, Terry
GARIB, Sayf
GLENDON, Philip
GLYNN, Alan
HEALY, Conor
JOEL, Chris
KANE, Patrick
KELLY, Martin
KELLY, Robert
KIRWAN, Edward
KIRWAN (Jnr.), Edward
KIRWAN, Jason
KIRWAN, John
MacSWEENEY, Ronan
McCARTHY, Peter
MAGUIRE, David
MILEY, Darragh
MULCAHY, John
MUNTEANU, Mihail
MURRAY, Mark
NOLAN, Alan
O’DONOHUE, Brion
O’CONNOR, Niall
O’LEARY, Noel
Ó MEARÁIN, Lochlann
O’REILLY, Patrick
RONAN, Darren
ROSS, Dale
SMITH, Adam
THOMPSON, Louis
TICE, George
TURLEY, Bobby
TURLEY, Max, 2024
TWOMEY, Michael
WHELAN, Chris
WHITE, Ronnie

SIKA THE WILD DEER

In addition, thanks to a special sponsorship deal offered exclusively to Deer Alliance HCAP, all HCAP Candidates in 2024 will receive a complimentary copy of Sika the Wild Deer (retail value €25.00), the story of the life of a sika stag in Wicklow, from conception to maturity, seen through the eyes of a stalker.

FIREARMS FOR RANGE TEST

HCAP Candidates who do not have access to their own deer-legal rifle have two options open to them. If they have a friend who has a deer-legal rifle and is prepared to let the candidate use that rifle for the Range Test, that is permitted, provided that the friend holds a valid Firearm Certificate for the firearm in question, holds valid shooting insurance and is present with the Candidate on the Range at all times. Alternatively, the candidate can avail of a Club Rifle in calibre .243, available from the Midland Range. Booking must be made at least two weeks in advance and is subject to Garda vetting. The current cost of rifle hire is €60.00, to include ammunition sufficient for the standard Range Test. Candidates with no previous experience of full-bore rifle shooting may be required to undertake basic tuition and competency testing on a one-to-one basis at the Midland Range (to include the Range Test Course of Fire but not as part of the Range Test), the current cost of which is €150.00 (one person, one day tuition and test preparation). Hire of a Club rifle and/or arrangements for tuition and test preparation, including all costs, are entirely a matter between Midland Range management and personnel, are outside the ordinary HCAP process and Deer Alliance HCAP has no responsibility or obligation in this regard. For further information about use of a Club firearm for the HCAP Range Test, contact John Paul Craven (Range Operator), 086 823 2641 or Tony Saunders, 087 097 7589.

MANDATORY CERTIFICATION

Certification has been mandatory for all first-time applicants for a Deer Hunting Licence since 2022 and has been obligatory for all persons hunting on Coillte forest property since 2005. In addition, the recent Irish Deer Management Strategy Group report published in December 2023, recommends phased certification for all hunters over the next 3 to 5 years (including licensed hunters not hunting on Coillte forest property and/or holding a Deer Hunting Licence prior to 2022).

ABOUT HCAP

HCAP is the only training programme in Ireland developed in partnership with Coillte Teoranta, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Forest Service, An Garda Síochána and all principal deer organisations. HCAP completed its twentieth year of operation in 2023 and to date approximately 3700 licensed deer hunters have participated in the programme. Enquiries by email to deeralliance@gmail.com or by ‘phone to 086 1927 845 (office hours).

Sika the Wild Deer. The first 100 HCAP Candidates in 2024 will receive a  complimentary copy, thanks to sponsorship received.

Minister Noonan Launches new E-licensing system
Date Released: Tuesday, June 4, 2024

First phase of online portal involves processing deer hunting applications for 2024/2025, with more applications to be added over time

New system offers significant benefits to users, including greater efficiency and flexibility
Development is part of organisational renewal in NPWS, and will assist national efforts underway to manage the deer population.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD today launched the first phase of a new initiative developed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to bring licence applications online. Applications for deer hunting licences for the coming season can now be submitted to the NPWS through a new Heritage Licensing Portal. Over time the portal will be expanded to become a one-stop-shop for all Heritage licences.

The portal is one of the flagship projects of the Department’s Heritage ICT Modernisation Programme, and will deliver a modern, fast, efficient licencing process. Those applying for deer hunting licences for the 2024/2025 season will be the first group to avail of the new online system. In addition to processing licence applications, hunting returns can be added incrementally throughout the year. Applications for other licences will be managed through the portal in due course.

Minister Noonan said:

“I welcome this modern, flexible and citizen focused approach to issuing licences, which will also bring about benefits for nature. Deer are an integral part of the Irish landscape, but overgrazing is putting pressure on our woodlands and peatlands habitats. Preventing wild deer from accessing these habitats is challenging, and hunters are a major line of defence in protecting them. This new development will provide a more efficient, user friendly process which will support them to play their part in the overall management of the deer population and in particular hotspots.”

The new e-Licensing system will benefit applicants in a number of ways. Once they have set up an individual account, each applicant will be able to manage their licence applications and returns. They will be able to track the progress of their application, and access their licence documentation online when approved. Applicants may also add hunting returns throughout the year, before submitting them at the end of the season in advance of applying the following year.

Director General of the NPWS, Niall Ó Donnchú said

“NPWS has been in a phase of renewal since the launch of our Strategic Action Plan in 2023. The delivery of initiatives such as e-Licensing demonstrate our commitment to a high level of service to both stakeholders and the public.

This new system has been enhanced by engagement with hunting organisations and stakeholders, and I would like to thank them for their contribution. We look forward to their engagement as we further develop this system to support other licence applications.”

Further Information

Phase 1 of the eLicensing system allows those wishing to apply for a deer hunting licence for the 2024/2025 season to do so digitally in a safe and secure environment.

To apply for a deer hunting licence, applicants will have to create a profile on the Heritage Licensing Portal. This can be done on computers or on mobile devices through a browser.

Applicants will be required to supply relevant information and documentation, including photo, certification of hunting training, firearms details etc., as relevant. Applications will be reviewed within NPWS, and once approved, a licence will issue digitally to the applicant. A copy of the licence will be emailed to the address provided by the applicant, but will also be available within the portal.

NPWS has met with relevant stakeholder groups, and has provided them with a run through of the system. A FAQ document will be available to users, and a helpline will be available.

Applicants will be able to access the Portal from 2pm on Tuesday 4 June at the following url: portal.heritage.gov.ie

The Helpline number is 01 8883242 or email deerlicences@npws.gov.ie.

For any technical issues when registering contact heritage.licensing@housing.gov.ie

The online application process for the Deer Hunting Licence is now live. DHL applications can now be made online only, hard-copy applications will not be accepted.

In order to assist with registering for the new elicensing system  please find below links to the following documents:

· Screenshot walk-through of how to register on the new Heritage Licensing Portal

· Screenshot walk-through of how to submit a renewal application

The NPWS website will be updated tomorrow afternoon with the link to the portal, FAQs, these two attached documents and the contact details for users with questions.

If anyone has a problem registering for the system they should email:

· Heritage.licensing@housing.gov.ie

If anyone has questions in relation to applying for their Deer Hunting Licence they should contact Wildlife Licensing Unit:

· deerlicences@npws.gov.ie

· Call 01-8883242

Registering for Heritage Licensing Portal, click HERE

Submitting DHL Renewal Application, click HERE

TO APPLY FOR OR TO RENEW A DEER HUNTING LICENCE THROUGH THE HERITAGE LICENSING PORTAL, CLICK HERE

(Notice updated 4th June, 2024)

Plans for the “biggest review of wildlife legislation for a generation” have been set out by the Government.

Members of the public will soon be invited to participate in a public consultation on updates to wildlife legislation, including the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and related regulations.

This legislation covers areas such as the protection of birds, the protection of certain wild animals, and the protection of certain lands, sites and habitats.

Malcolm Noonan, the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, said: “This is the biggest review of wildlife legislation for a generation. It is vital that the public has their say.

“The review will examine a host of issues including penalties for wildlife crime, enforcement measures, licensing requirements, wildlife protection, habitat protection among many others. We want to hear from the public on how the legislation can be improved, what extra protections should be provided, and what the priorities should be.

“This review will seek to strike an appropriate balance between the needs of humans and the needs of wildlife. The update of wildlife legislation is part of a commitment under the programme for government to ‘review the protection (including enforcement of relevant legislation) of our natural heritage, including hedgerows, native woodland, and wetlands’.”

The objectives are to update legislation so that it better protects nature, helps prevent biodiversity loss, is fully compliant with EU law, and is easier to enforce and comply with.

The first phase of the consultation will be an online public consultation and will run from mid-June to September.

The review will be completed over several years and will entail several phases of public consultation, with a view to having substantial updates of legislation passed by the end of 2027.