The ban will be introduced by a Special Protection Order under the terms of the Game Preservation Act (NI) 1928, and will run for the period 1 November 2007 until 31st March 2008.
Explaining the reasoning behind the decision, the Minister said: “I am conscious of the need to maintain a general level of protection for the Irish Hare as we continue to monitor progress against the targets contained in the Species Action Plan. I have therefore decided that a further temporary Special Protection Order (SPO) is required.”
The Minister said she was aware that providing temporary protection for the Irish Hare through this SPO does, in effect, prohibit the taking of hares for coursing events in Northern Ireland. These two issues have been linked in the Department’s efforts to determine the correct level of protection to the Irish Hare. Arlene Foster said: “I am also aware of the debate about whether or not hare coursing has any impact upon the conservation of the hare population. My decision to extend the protection of this species is based purely on scientific evidence on the overall population of the Irish Hare.”
She added: “The protection measure for the Irish Hare is simply that it is not deliberately intended to ban hare coursing. The department and field sporting organisations wish to achieve the same goal of increased hare numbers. Indeed, Professor Montgomery, Head of the School of Biology and Biochemistry at Queen’s University Belfast has previously stated that coursing clubs have made a positive contribution to conservation of Irish Hare, through active participation in research and other activities such as sympathetic habitat management.”
Notes to Editors:
- The Species Action Plan is available on the DOE’s Environment and Heritage Service website www.ehsni.gov.uk .
- Section 7C(1) of the Game Preservation Act (NI) 1928, provides that, where the Minister is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient to provide special protection for any kind of game, he may by order prohibit the killing or taking, or the sale or purchase, of any game prescribed by the order, during such period not exceeding one year as shall be prescribed by the order.
- For media queries call DOE Press Office tel. 028 9054 0003 or out-of-hours call the Duty Press Officer 07699 715440.
