Section 32 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides that it is an offence for a person, other than under a licence from the Minister, to mark by cutting, branding or tattooing, or to attach any band, ring, microchip, tag or other marking device to any wild animal or wild bird or to take by net, trap or by any other means any such animal or bird for that purpose.
A licence applications form can be requested from:
National Parls & Wildlife Service, Main Street, Ballybay, Co. Monaghan Tel: 1800 - 405000Download: Licence to Attaching a Marking Device to a Wild Animal / Bird 
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Licence applications are considered and recommended by NPWS Research and / or Regional Staff. Applicants who can establish that they have the ability and/or training to undertake these operations with minimal impact on the birds/animals for bone fide research programmes which do not materially affect the conservation status of the species concerned are given licences on demand.