Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

As many of you are aware a new “one off – one on” system came into effect on the 1^st December 2011. This follows changes to the Firearms Law that were included with the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. The wordings of the changes are given below.

Variation of firearms certificateN.I.

103  In Article 11 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (NI 3) after paragraph (3) (substitution of shotguns) insert—

“(4) If a person—

(a) sells a relevant firearm (“the first firearm”) to the holder of a firearms dealer's certificate (“the dealer”);

and

(b) as part of the same transaction purchases from the dealer another relevant firearm of the same type and calibre (“the second firearm”), the dealer may vary that person's firearm certificate by substituting the second firearm for the first firearm.

(5) In paragraph (4) “relevant firearm” means a firearm other than—

(a) a shotgun;

or

(b) a prohibited weapon.”.

The Countryside Alliance Ireland Awards, nicknamed ‘The Rural Oscars’ have opened to nominations, so please nominate today and help us sing the praises of those who work so hard for rural life.  You can nominate online by clicking here 

The Awards celebrate communities, produce, enterprise and rural heritage.  Voted for by the public across five categories, they applaud those who routinely go the extra mile for their community and help to promote rural life. 

The Countryside Alliance Ireland Award categories are:  

•Local Food Award

•Daily Telegraph Village Shop/ Post Office Award

•Enterprise Award

•Butcher Award

•Hunter Rural Hero of 2011

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte recently announced progress with the Rural Broadband Scheme which aims to identify the remaining individual premises in rural Ireland that are unable to obtain a broadband service and to provide a service to those premises where requested.  

Minister Rabbitte said “To-date, we have had over 2000 applications under the Scheme and my Department will be accepting further applications until the 29th of July, when the application phase of the Scheme will close. I would encourage people to apply under the Scheme if they cannot currently obtain a service”.

We are truly disappointed to learn that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Pat Rabbitte T.D., has announced that commercial fishing in part of Castlemaine Harbour will be permitted from the 5th to the 31st July 2011. 

This is despite major lobbying efforts by FISSTA, Countryside Alliance Ireland and other organisations urging the Minister to refrain from re-opening the first mixed stock fishery since their closure in 2007.  We believe that this decision represents a major slippage for Irish salmon conservation and may have severe repercussions far beyond our shores.

NI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The movement rules for bringing pets here in relation to rabies vaccination and tick treatment will harmonise with the rest of the European Union from 1 January 2012.

Under the new rules for the pet travel scheme the conditions to qualify will be less burdensome and will involve less expense for pet owners bringing animals here while ensuring the risk of rabies coming here remains extremely low.

Lyall Plant, Chief Executive of Countryside Alliance Ireland was the proud recipient of a ‘Lifetime Commitment Award’ presented to him by Paul Pringle at the Press Reception for the Great Game Fairs of Ireland 2011, held recently at Shanes Castle. 

Lyall said “I was delighted (albeit shocked!) to receive this award on behalf of the Team at Countryside Alliance Ireland.  This acknowledges all the hard work and effort that has gone on to protect country sports and our rural way of life.  However, we are not complacent and we shall continue to defend the rural way of life we all so enjoy for generations to come.”

Under new legislation, namely the Land and Conveying Act 2009 which was enacted under the previous government in the Dáil, all rights of way now have to be registered with the Land Registry or Registry of Deeds. 

The deadline for this is 30^th November 2012, which may sound like a long time away but any legislative process may sometimes take months. Common examples of rights of way include a farmer accessing his lands through a neighbours land or a home owner accessing the rear of a terraced house by means of a lane way, without the expressed permission of the land owner. 

Under this new Act, a farmer or country sports enthusiast who has been using a right of way to access land all their life could lose that right if it is not registered with the Land Registry or Registry of Deeds within the next 18 months.

The RIPPLE project, in Ballinderry, Co. Tyrone, has been shortlisted as one of the UK’s top 10 National Lottery funded environmental projects. 

The WWF-NI and BREA project is helping the community of the Ballinderry River to devise and implement their own river action plan and improve the river for its wildlife and its people. 

The project has the opportunity to win a National Lottery Award, so please vote them through to the final by clicking HERE.  Every vote counts, so your support would really be appreciated.  Voting closes Monday so please don’t delay.  It only takes seconds and you can vote more than once.

The Department of Environment has made an order which will bring Section 35 of the above mentioned Act into operation on 13th June 2011.

That will mean anyone who hunts game or deals in game will not need to be licensed from that date onwards.