"We feel we have addressed all of the minister's stated concerns over the marshalling of the hunt and the treatment of the animals and now fully expect the minister to issue the licence next week, " said Oliver Russell, chairman of the Ward Union Hunt. "If not, we have the option to challenge the refusal in the courts. We are a responsible hunt that has been in existence for over 150 years. There are no reasons to refuse a licence."

The licensing issue leaves Gormley facing yet another potentially embarrassing Green Party policy u-turn as the Greens had promised to ban all blood sports before the election. Controversial property developer Mick Bailey is a master of the Ward Union Hunt for this season.

In the Dail last week, Gormley told antiblood sports campaigner Tony Gregory TD that he had raised a number of "serious concerns" with the Ward Union Hunt in relation to conservation, the protection of stags generally and compliance with previous licence conditions.

The latter 'concern' relates to an incident last January when a deer ran into a schoolyard in Kildalkey, Co Meath, pursued by hounds and huntsmen of the Ward hunt. The hunt denied reports at the time that the deer was killed in the schoolyard while terrified children looked on. While it apologised for the incident, the hunt said the deer was only in the yard for 10 seconds and was later captured and returned to the hunt's farm.

Russell said this weekend: "Extra marshalls will be employed to help keep order in public places and there will be a reduction in the number of people on horseback.

We are also giving the deer a longer head start this season."

He said it was the hunt's code of practice that once the deer is cornered, the hounds are called off and the deer is wrestled to the ground by experienced farmhands and then returned to the deer farm.

Gormley's dilemma is that he will have to make the licence decision on the basis of the Wildlife Act, which permits hunting of wild animals in Ireland, and not on the basis of the Green policy on bloodsports.