Alan Shatter
Question:6 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will introduce legislation to ban live hare coursing.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hare Coursing.
Trevor Sargent
Question:24 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the substantial amount of anticoursing mail from the US which has been forwarded to his Department and whether he intends to pass this mail on to the Minister for Tourism and Trade to draw the Minister's attention to the situation.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:43 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will amend the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1965, with the view to removing the exemption on hare coursing, thereby making hare coursing illegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Tony Gregory
Question:59 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will have live hare coursing replaced by drag coursing, as practised in Canada, Germany and Australia, which does not involve the use of a live hare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Tony Gregory
Question:218 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the if he will number of items of mail from abroad he has received within the past 12 months protesting against the operation of live hare coursing, either directly or through other parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Mary Harney
Question:219 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to amend the Greyhound Industries Act, 1958 in so far as it applies to live hare coursing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 24, 43, 59, 218 and 219 together.
I am at present reviewing in a comprehensive way the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. As part of that review I am also considering the question of hare coursing. I would hope to have proposals for Government arising out of that review at an early date. In making those proposals I will have regard to the many suggestions made here and by various interested bodies and, of course, to trade and tourism considerations.
I have received somewhat in excess of 2,000 representations, mostly from the USA, either directly or indirectly within the past 12 months. The contents of this mail has been noted and the points raised will also be taken into account as part of the review.
Would the Minister agree that hare coursing is a barbaric and cruel activity and would he acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of people would like to see live hare coursing banned? Would he agree also that the recent hare coursing meeting in Cloonana which resulted in 51 hares being torn to shreds and killed was a particularly horrific example of an activity that is unacceptable? Will the Minister indicate whether he agrees with the views expressed by Deputy Kemmy and others that it is a sickening sport and that it should be banned? Is it his intention under the new legislation once and for all to ban hare coursing?
There are a number of points arising from Deputy Shatter's question. First, I want to declare my interests. I follow a number of sports both here and in other countries but I am not a follower of here coursing. I have to listen to all sides of the case regarding hare coursing and while the Department received more than 2,000 representations from outside the country in relation to hare coursing, we got less than 50 from within Ireland in relation to the matter.
The Minister will be flooded now.
What about fox hunting?
In June 1992 the Joint Oireachtas Committee on State-sponsored Bodies which represents all parties in this House considered a report on coursing and the greyhound industry generally and did not recommend a ban on hare coursing. There are different points of view in relation to the matter.
What is the Minister's point of view?
At the outset I stated that I am not a follower of hare coursing. The Cloonana and Clonmel incidents were a disgrace and totally unacceptable. Nobody, whether they are for or against hare coursing, could justify the slaughter of that number of hares at two coursing meetings. I would condemn that in a most forthright manner. An assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry chairs a group of people representing the Department, Bord na gCon and the industry generally who will report to me in the near future. Having considered all the matters raised here the representations made to the Department and, in particular, the recommendations of that group, I will submit a proposal to Government.
I, too, am extremely anxious to have this problem resolved; it is a political football being thrown back and forth. It seems to be shrouded in uncertainty. On the basis of the meeting in Cloonana and the image that portrays of us at a time when we are so dependent on overseas interests — Digital and our important tourism sector might be referred to in this regard — it is vital to bear in mind——
I want to facilitate the Deputy in eliciting information, but he must proceed by way of brief relevant questions.
I will finish my question. I simply want to ask the Minister if he regards that incident as the last straw, so to speak? Will he introduce legislation forthwith and make a welcome decision for the 81 per cent of the people who wish to see hare coursing banned?
I have already said that what happened at Cloonana and Clonmel was unacceptable. The matter of legislation is quite complex. The Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, the Protection of Animals Acts, 1911 and 1965, and the Wildlife Act, 1976, would have to be considered in relation to this matter. On receipt of a report from the group investigating the matter I will submit proposals to the Government.
I welcome the Minister's sympathetic comments. I hope he follows through on what he has said. If the Minister accepts that live hare coursing inflicts extreme suffering on timid and defenceless animals and that there can be no justification whatever for such cruelty, will he accept that it is time to stop this cruelty? In view of what he said about the weekend meeting at Cloonana where 51 hares died, will he prevent any further unacceptable suffering by suspending all further coursing meetings pending the review which he has announced?
I have made my views known on what happened at the two meetings. In relation to coursing generally, I do not know if it is true that 81 per cent of the people want to terminate it because a substantial number of people in rural Ireland go coursing and enjoy this type of activity.
I can show the Minister the facts stated in an independent survey.
In a democracy I have to take all points of view into account in preparing legislation, but there is no doubt that the kind of activity that we know happened in Cloonana and Clonmel should not be repeated.
The Minister could put a stop to it by suspending further meetings.
The Minister should stay on the fence.
I hope the matter will not stay that way for too long. I hope within a matter of weeks to receive a report and to prepare a memorandum for Government on the greyhound industry.
I am concerned about the greyhound industry. Most of our greyhound tracks are losing money, attendance levels are decreasing, as is the value of the greyhound industry for tourism. Even the export of greyhounds is in a shambles. Part of the industry needs reform and can be recovered. I am examining the entire industry, which badly needs a shake up.
Would the Minister agree that the report to which he refers makes it clear that the greyhound industry is in no way dependent on the continuation of coursing meetings? It was suggested that there is an interdependence, but there is not. Will the Minister agree that there is not? Will he indicate if he agrees that what took place at Cloonana and Clonmel is unacceptable? Will he indicate whether an investigation into those two things is taking place either in his Department or the Office of Public Works with a view to instituting prosecutions against those responsible under the Wildlife Act? Previous investigations of meetings where a large number of hares were killed established that the hares were coursed contrary to statutory regulations in force. Will the Minister indicate what action the Government has taken with regard to the unacceptable number of hares killed at those meetings? Finally, is the Minister aware that a survey carried out by an independent body some years ago showed that 81 per cent of people favoured banning hare coursing? Will he agree that hare coursing is just as cruel a sport as badger baiting, which is now outlawed?
The longer we dwell at any question must be to the detriment of other questions. I am anxious to move on to other questions. I am sure the House will agree that the disposal of six questions within half an hour is most unsatisfactory from any stand point. I want to bring this question to finality.
I should like to take the opportunity to bring this question to finality if I may. I was asked a specific question as to whether an inquiry has been or is taking place. Bord na gCon have advised that the executive committee of the Irish Coursing Club has initiated a wideranging and urgent fullscale inquiry into all aspects of the running of the meeting in question by the County Limerick Coursing Club. This investigation has already commenced and will extend to the summoning of the committee and officers of the club before the Irish Coursing Club. The Irish Coursing Club has confirmed that its inquiry will address such issues as the causes of the high mortality rate; whether the advertised programme of events should have been curtailed in the circumstances; the care, management, feeding, training and husbandry of the hare stock; the precoursing veterinary attention to the hare stock; to what extent, if any, the rules of the Irish Coursing Club and the licence held by it were breached, and whether major changes are required in the structure of the County Limerick Coursing Club as administrators of future Irish Cup meetings.
What about a Government investigation under the Wildlife Act, 1976? The Minister has statutory powers under that Act.