The regulations for level 5 are full of inconsistencies. Two weeks ago the coursing industry received a hammer blow which stopped coursing even though clubs were in the middle of it. Today I raise a diktat issued last Thursday evening in relation to the pheasant shooting season, which was due to open on 1 November. People are not allowed go out with their guns and dogs, out into the wilds. Many clubs, such as my own club, the Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, Grange and Newcastle Gun Club, and huntsmen do huge work for preservation. They are only interested in going out for a day's exercise with their guns and dogs, but they are not allowed. What Department or Minister issued this diktat that they cannot go out to do their game shooting on 1 November, like every other year?

Two other Deputies are indicating. I will ask them to comment briefly, if they could.

This is a nonsensical decision. How could anyone say that there is anything prejudicial to anyone's health or safety by going out shooting? Perhaps that might be true if a person goes out with somebody else but in most cases, one person goes out with a dog, predominantly shooting land that person has been shooting on for many years. The date of 1 November is a very special day for those people. They do it in a responsible way.

Thank you.

On behalf of those clubs, I ask the Taoiseach to please exercise common sense. He has failed the farmers, the publicans and many people at this stage. If he is trying to alienate himself from everyone in Ireland, he should keep going the way he is going.

I call Deputy Danny Healy-Rae.

I am asking the Taoiseach to please listen to common sense on this subject.

Many people live for different reasons and look forward to different things. Gun clubs and individuals who operate game shooting live for the three winter months of November, December and January for hunting and game shooting pheasants, woodcock and so on. It makes no sense to stop a man and his dog going up a lonely slieve, bog or wide open territory. If the Taoiseach is to continue with these rules and regulations, he will lose the people. It is fine when it makes sense to the people-----

Thank you, Deputy.

-----but when it is not making common sense, he will have to stop because he is losing the people.