Hare Coursing

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Questions (142)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

142. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will consider removing the text which states that coursing leads to some mortality each year but management of coursing reserves has also been shown to be beneficial to hares leading to higher hare densities, as this text is misleading and inaccurate without substantial evidence to support the claim; the evidence used to support this claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44076/13]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The text referred to in the NPWS Report 'Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland ' is from a paper entitled ‘Integrating field sports, hare population management and conservation’ (Reid et al 2010). The paper in question examined hare densities within coursing preserves and compared them to the wider countryside. It concluded that the mean density of hares within these preserves was three times higher than mean densities throughout the wider countryside, even allowing for variations in density in different habitats.

Overall, the evidence suggests that that the impact of coursing on the conservation status of hares nationally is negligible and there may in fact be direct and indirect benefits for hare populations, such as in the control of foxes.

The background paper referenced in the NPWS report provides a reasoned analysis of the matter and the text referred to by the Deputy is considered to be valid.