The Minister is empowered to give licences, under Section 22 (9)(a) & Section 34 of the Wildlife Act (as amended), to capture and humanely kill, a protected wild bird of a species specified in the licence for such educational, scientific or other purposes as shall be so specified.
These applications are considered on their merits in accordance with the Statutory Obligations of the Minister set out in the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended).
Applications for permissions are made on a standard application form which is available at the link below and can be sent to the email address at: wildlifelicence@npws.gov.ie
Download the application form for a licence to Capture or Kill a Protected Wild Bird for Scientific or Educational Purposes Recommendations on individual applications are obtained from NPWS Research and/or Management staff and decisions on granting or refusing licences are made by an officer designated to issue licences on behalf of the Minister. Licences are issued to facilitate bona fide research programmes or where no other viable alternative to capture or humanely killing the protected animal is available. In all cases, licences are only granted if the licences will result in no significant adverse impact on the conservation of the species.