Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin TD
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD
Deer Alliance HCAP has over recent days received numerous call, text and emails from concerned hunters who are awaiting their Deer Hunting Licences (DHLs) for the season 2020-2021, having made application in good time and in accordance with the preferred date of 30th June, to ensure receipt of licences by 1st September. Unfortunately, the Wildlife Licensing Unit (WLU) of National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) are grappling with an ever-increasing number of applications, many of which require validation, while dealing also with limitations attributable to the Covid 19 lockdown from March to July (and ongoing). There is a simple if temporary solution. By extending the validity of licences held for 2019-2020 pending issue of licences for the 2020-2021 season, any question of illegality on the part of hunters who have made application for renewal of their DHL in a timely fashion and in good faith, is removed.
Deer Alliance HCAP has communicated this recommendation to the WLU this week, and has also set out the recommendation to the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin TD and to Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD. The text of the communication (email) to Minister Martin and Minister of State Noonan is set out below.
Dear Minister,
We are writing on behalf of a substantial number of licensed deer hunters who are awaiting receipt of Deer Hunting Licences for the Season 2020-2021.
Normally, application for the annual Deer Hunting Licence (DHL) is made between March and June each year, in the expectation that valid applications made by a nominal deadline of 30th June are issued in advance of the start of season date of 1st September. Normally, the Wildlife Licensing Unit (WLU) of National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) give an assurance that valid applications made by 30th June will be processed and licences issued in good time for the 1st September, and this was the case this year also, regardless of Covid restrictions.
Unfortunately, a significant number of hunters have still not received their licences, and this is causing a degree of unrest where deer control and culling operations are concerned.
Our suggestion to the WLU last week was that the validity of licences held for last season, 2019-2020, be extended pending issue or receipt of licences for 2020-2021, in line with similar arrangements for extension of driving licences, NCT testing, DOE testing and other regulatory licences or controls. This seems to us to be a practical and sensible way of handling a situation which is impacting negatively on persons entitled to receive DHLs, having made valid application in a timely fashion, as long ago as March, April or May of this year.
We urge you therefore to take this matter into urgent consideration and to take immediate action to rectify matters.
There are other aspects of the licensing system crying out for reform but perhaps this is a matter we can take up separately.
Yours sincerely,
LIAM M NOLAN
Deer Alliance HCAP
