Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 October 2018
349. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to media reports of the spread of myxomatosis in the UK from rabbits to hares; and if she has initiated an investigation into the potential spread of the disease among the rabbit and hare population here. [43088/18]
View answer350. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider suspending further meetings of the hare coursing season and ordering an examination of hares being held by coursing clubs to ascertain their exposure to myxomatosis in view of a potential outbreak of myxomatosis among the brown hare population. [43089/18]
View answer351. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the veterinary or other measures her Department will implement to protect hares here from exposure to myxomatosis. [43090/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 349 to 351, inclusive, together.
The Deputy's Parliamentary Questions refer to brown hares (Lepus europaeus), which are considered to be present on this island only in mid-Ulster, although there are some old records for Co. Donegal. The Irish or mountain hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) is the species found in Ireland.
My Department is aware of reports of myxomatosis in brown hares in Britain.
A national hare survey, funded by my Department, is underway across Ireland at present. The survey is using hundreds of camera traps deployed across all habitat types and in every county of Ireland. Image analysis from this survey is ongoing, but to date there has been no sign of myxomatosis in any of the hares photographed. The survey will continue over the coming months and my Department will monitor the results closely.
There are no plans at this time to suspend coursing.
As the disease has not been verified in Irish hares, no veterinary measures are foreseen at this time; furthermore as the hare is a widespread and numerous wild species, it would be particularly challenging to implement effective veterinary measures.
