Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2016
58. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when she will publish the report ordered by her into the mauling of a hare at a coursing event in Ballinagar, County Offaly, on 29 October 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36867/16]
View answer62. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her attention has been drawn to recent evidence that suggests her previous statements that hare coursing was well regulated and avoided any harm to hares were mistaken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37214/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 62 together.
Officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department attended the Ballinagar coursing meeting and are examining the video footage provided in relation to the meeting. This may result in discussions with the local coursing club and the Irish Coursing Club. I will be happy to make relevant reports available following the completion of this process.
In August this year, my Department issued licences under the Wildlife Acts to the Irish Coursing Club, covering its affiliated coursing clubs, to capture and tag hares for use at regulated hare coursing meetings for the 2016/17 coursing season, which extends from the end of September 2016 to the end of February 2017.
There are a total of 26 conditions which are associated with the licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club. These conditions which have been developed and refined over a number of years cover a wide range of issues including prohibition on coursing hares more than once a day or coursing sick or injured hares, the need for adequate escapes for hares during coursing and releasing hares in daylight hours after meetings.
