The Green Party is to introduce a bill to the Assembly which will ban the hunting of wild mammals with hounds in Northern Ireland.

As part of that process a consultation document was launched today in the Press Conference Suite, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast.

Green Party Assembly Member Brian Wilson said: “Legislation banning the hunting of wild mammals with dogs already exists in England & Wales and Scotland, so this bill, which I hope to introduce to the Assembly before recess, will bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK and end fox and stag hunting and hare coursing.”

The consultation document has been sent to a wide range of organizations, NGOs, government departments and other relevant agencies and is also  available on the Green Party website www.greenpartyni.org

The consultation will last for six weeks starting from March 31st 2010 – 5pm Friday 14th May.