The government is proposing an amnesty for those who register illegally stuffed protected birds, BirdLife said today.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Birdlife executive director Steve Micklewright said the proposal was absurd and made a mockery of claims of zero tolerance to illegal hunting.

A similar amnesty had also been given in 2003.

Mr Micklewright said the proposal was being made by the government-appointed Wild Birds Regulation Unit and is due to be discussed by the Ornis Committee today. The plan is for the hunters to register the stuffed birds and pay a once-only €500 fine and €50 per bird being registered.

But whatever the outcome, the government should withdraw such plans, he insisted. 

Had this amnesty been in place last year, the hunter who caused such an outcry when he shot down a protected stork would have been able to register it and get away with his crime, Mr Micklewright said.

Ornis is today also due to discuss plans to raise the fines for illegal hunting. The fines will go up to €100,000 in case of the shooting of protected birds.

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