Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2019
223. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she received veterinary advice on the partial lifting of the ban on netting hares due to the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus; her views on a possible spread of the virus among the hare population here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43683/19]
View answer226. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will require captured hares to be microchipped; if veterinarians and the National Parks and Wildlife Service will be involved in supervision of the netting and release of hares; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43798/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 226 together.
I recently made a decision to ease the suspension of the annual license for the capturing and tagging of hares for coursing meetings on a managed and restricted basis and only in areas unaffected by the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD2) virus. In tandem with this measure, I have required a number of field studies to be undertaken at some coursing clubs, which will involve veterinary and virology expertise and input. These studies, which will be carried out to supplement existing knowledge of the prevalence and nature of RHD2, will be undertaken with co-operation between the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Irish Coursing Club. The field studies will involve the microchipping and swabbing of all captured hares and the testing of swabs in DAFM laboratories for RHD2. My decisions in this regard were taken following extensive liaison with DAFM officials and officials of my Department
