More penalties and prosecutions are needed to show wildlife crime is “not tolerated” in Ireland, Sinn Féin has said. 

The party’s climate spokesperson Senator Lynn Boylan said the 43 prosecutions made last year fall well short of what should be expected.

Wildlife crimes can include disturbing habitats, illegal hunting and cutting trees outside of felling season.

These laws are currently enforced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

On Moncrieff today, Senator Boylan said prosecutions are more common in some counties than others.

“Sligo has had zero prosecutions in five years,” she said.

“I’d love to think that everybody is very law-abiding and respectful of wildlife in Sligo - but I doubt it.

“It seems to be an issue whether the National Parks and Wildlife Service have the resources there or whether they have the political will to pursue wildlife crime.”

Scope

Senator Boylan said there is a large scope of wildlife crimes.

“A wildlife crime can include a number of different things like illegal burning and cutting down hedge rows outside of the period that is permissible,” she said.

“It involves illegal deer hunting, illegal hunting of hares with dogs and also more horrific things like using glue traps to collect songbirds.

“There is a wide range of crimes that fall under the Wildlife Act.”

A robin encased in glue. Image: Facebook/Kildare Wildlife Rescue

Senator Boylan said there are “huge discrepancies” in how these crimes are penalised around the country.

“In one year, we have someone who received a €100 fine for illegally hunting hares with dogs in one county when in another county the same crime was handed a €1,000 fine,” she said.

“Again, with illegal deer hunting in the same year; one person received a custodial sentence and another received a 200 fine.

“These are very significant discrepancies in penalties for the same crime and we need more uniformity around punishments as some fines are very low.”

Senator Boylan is calling for a specific unit to be set up tasked with prosecuting wildlife crimes in Ireland.

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Main image: A hunter with his dog. Image: Haraldur Stefansson / Alamy