Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
837. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will appoint an independent body to gather data in relation to hare coursing as currently data that is gathered in relation to hare coursing comes from the ICC reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37483/23]
View answerHare coursing is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) which is a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. Statutory responsibility for the Act resides with my colleague, the Minster for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as does responsibility for the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
The licences issued to the ICC contain a number of different conditions that must be adhered to and regional staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff of my Department attend coursing meetings, as resources allow, to monitor compliance with the conditions of the licenses having regard to the various calls on its staffing complement. Regional staff complete a monitoring form at the end of each meeting that they attend and a redacted version of these are published on the NPWS website along with the ICC Control Steward forms.
Veterinary staff from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine also carry out inspections, as resources allow, during the coursing season to monitor compliance with the rules governing animal welfare relating to greyhounds and hares.
I have no plans to appoint an independent body to gather data in relation to hare coursing.
