Quad bike restrictions dropped from Bill

A BAN on quad bike and jet-ski activities in environmentally sensitive locations, originally contained in the proposed legislation to outlaw stag hunting, has been removed from the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill.

When Cabinet approved the heads of the contentious Bill in November of last year, it contained new powers for Environment Minister John Gormley to prohibit the use of off-road 4x4 vehicles and scramblers in certain areas. However, when the Bill was published last week, this element had been removed.

A spokesman for Mr Gormley said it would be contained in a Wildlife (Amendment) (No 2) Bill, which will not be published before late 2010, according to the Government’s legislative agenda released last week.

“Complex legal issues are being finalised at the moment regarding some aspects of the legislation,” the spokesman said.

In November, Mr Gormley said the use of vehicles such as jet-skis and quad bikes for recreational purposes was detrimental to protected areas of conservation across the country.

Controversies involving such vehicles have arisen in various locations, such as Lough Derravarragh in Co Westmeath, Mount Leinster in Carlow/Wexford, and the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the midlands.

Mr Gormley confirmed exemptions would be made for work vehicles, giving the examples of farmers using quad bikes on their farms. He also said the legislation needed to be amended because Ireland was “under pressure” from the European Commission on foot of judgments of the European Court of Justice in relation to such matters.

The Wildlife (Amendment) (No 2) Bill will also give the Minister powers to prohibit and regulate the importation, transport and sale of what are described as “invasive” species.

These could include the grey squirrel, the wild rhododendron, the zebra mussel, and African pond weed. The Minister believes the existing provisions of the Wildlife Acts to address the problems created by these species are inadequate.

Mr Gormley has said he hopes the proposed legislation to ban stag hunting will be enacted before the Dáil breaks for the summer. His spokesman described the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, which will outlaw deer-hunting with packs of dogs, as a relatively straightforward but very important piece of legislation. It will affect the only licensed hunt in the country, the Ward Union Hunt in Co Meath. The spokesman insisted the legislation would not impact on other forms of hunting.

However, a spokesman for pro-hunting group Rural Ireland Says Enough (Rise!) claimed Mr Gormley had a “basic aversion to all forms of hunting and traditional rural sports”.

He added: “We welcome the statement by Fine Gael that they oppose the Bill and will – if it is enacted – repeal it if they are in government.” Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny Phil Hogan confirmed this was the party position.