As of midnight Wednesday 21 October, all of Ireland will be placed on Level 5 of the plan; Living with COVID. Level 5 restrictions will remain in place for a period of 6 weeks.
IFA Countryside has written to the Government seeking clarification on restrictions as they relate to game hunting and we await a response.
In the meantime, it is advisable to familiarise yourself with Level 5 restrictions https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/. Breaches of COVID-19 regulations will be penalised.
It is our understanding that placing the country at level 5 restrictions will have the following implications for country sport activities:
- People are permitted to exercise within a radius of 5km of their home. There will be a penalty from movement outside of 5km of your home. There are certain defined exceptions including for farming purposes ie food production and/or care of animals. See full list here
- It is possible to meet with one other household in an outdoor setting which is not a home or garden, such as a park, for exercise.
- When taking exercise outside, it is important to maintain two metres distance from others and washing hands on returning home.
- There should be NO organised indoor or outdoor events ie no club or syndicate gatherings
On the above framework, one concludes that an individual may engage in country sport activities, along with another person in a 5 km radius of their home. Individuals must behave responsibly adhering to social distancing, mask wearing and sanitising.