I 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.