ANIMAL rights campaigners have condemned yesterday's decision by the Minister for the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, to grant a provisional deer hunting licence to the Ward Union Staghounds, the only hunt of its kind in the State.
Miss Aideen Yourell, of the Irish Council Against Bloodsports (ICABS) said the decision "rewarded the hunt for its misdemeanours", in view of the fact that it has continued to operate without a licence since 1989.
The Department of the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht has confirmed that the hunt had no licence since 1989.
"We are bitterly disappointed that the Minister didn't wait to see whether the DPP would decide to prosecute the Ward Union for hunting without a licence. If there is a prosecution then the licence should be revoked," she said.
"It is a sadistic, archaic activity.
The stasis run wild through hedges and ditches and are not just physically injured but are terrorised by the experience."
Mr Tony Gregory TD said if was "hypocritical" of Mr Higgins, a former vice president of the ICABS, to grant the licence. He said the decision contradicted the 1965 Protection of Animals Acts which outlawed unnecessary cruelty to domestic and wild animals.
"The Minister is legitimising something that is illegal and clearly cruel," said Mr Gregory.
The Ward Union licence is limited until March 31st, when the hunting season ends, and is conditional upon the appointment by the Minister of an independent monitor to the hunt.
The decision follows consultation with the National Heritage Council and separate meetings last Wednesday with the ICABS and the Ward Union.
Members of the Ward Union welcomed the decision, rejecting claims that deer were injured or mistreated during the hunt.
The hunt secretary, Mr Oliver Russell, said the deer hunted were purpose bred for the chase, after which they were recaptured and returned to a breeding farm.
"We are very careful in how we carry out the hunt. To my knowledge, there have been no fatalities among deer while hunting in the last year. Deaths are quite rare," he said.
With up to 50 riders participating in each chase, the Ward Union hunts twice a week. Because of the recent cold spell it has not had an outing since St Stephen's Day, although it is due to stage a hunt at Bellewstown today.
The Irish Anti Hunt Campaign handed a petition with 20,000 signatures to the Minister yesterday, according to Ms Bernie Wright of the campaign.
She said the Minister's office assured the campaign that Mr Higgins would meet it and discuss the Ward Union Hunt.