Minister for the Environment John Gormley has granted a licence to a stag hunt with a condition that the deer is recaptured before the hunt begins.
The Ward Union Hunt was awarded the licence today by Mr Gormley, but with the strict condition that once the scent trail has been laid by the stag, the deer is then recaptured before the hounds are released.
Mr Gormley attached 28 conditions to the hunt licence following meetings and correspondence between Department officials and the Hunt.
The Department had told the hunt that it had serious concerns relating to conservation, the protection of stags generally, and a failure to comply with previous licence conditions.
"The licence with the conditions I have granted to the Ward Union Hunt will allow for the hunting of stags in a manner which will provide for the protection of the stag and the general public.
"In effect it permits the Ward Union to release a deer to lay a scent trail along the course of the hunt, but I am insisting that the deer must be recaptured before the hounds are released and the full hunt gets underway," said Mr Gormley.
The Ward Union Hunt Club is also obliged to inform the Minister of the number and sex of all deer released and not recaptured together with an indication of where such deer were last sighted.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports said it was hoping for a complete refusal by Minister Gormley of a licence to hunt deer.
It said it was "very concerned about Condition No. 12 of the licence, i.e. that the deer shall be driven by mounted riders 'to an end point' (to create a scent for the dogs to follow), which no doubt will terrify and stress the deer, and it should be borne in mind that it is an offence under the 1911 Protection of Animals Act to 'over-drive' or 'terrify' an animal.
"We are also concerned that given the manner of re-capture, i.e. wrestling the deer to the ground, with at least one deer being choked to death during same, that this abuse is to continue".
The Ward Union Hunt hunts privately bred red deer in Co Meath and North county Dublin. It must apply for a licence annually because red deer are an endangered species - while fox and mink hunting require no licence and go on throughout the winter.