Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 November 2018
46. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to reports of continued breaching of licences by coursing clubs; and her views on whether harsher consequences in the form of licensing being revoked need to be taken to combat serious breaches of existing legislation in the capturing of hares for use in blood sports. [47406/18]
View answerThe control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare.
In August last year, my Department issued licences under the Wildlife Acts to the Irish Coursing Club, covering some 87 affiliated coursing clubs, to capture and tag hares for use at regulated hare coursing meetings for the 2018/19 season, which extends from the end of September 2018 to the end of February 2019. Those licences contained a total of 25 conditions which have been developed and refined over the years.
Where resources allow, local National Parks and Wildlife Service Conservation Rangers from my Department attend coursing meetings, on a spot-check basis, to monitor compliance with licences issued to the ICC and its affiliated clubs. All issues arising from reports of NPWS staff will be reviewed and considered in the context of any licence application for the 2019/20 coursing season.
