asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the objections held by many people to the coursing of hares, he will initiate legislation to prevent Bord na gCon from withholding the right to engage in the sport of racing greyhounds from persons who are not members of coursing clubs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coursing of Hares.
9.
I do not propose to introduce such legislation. The present controls are there, as I am sure the Deputy is aware, to ensure that only thoroughbred dogs are raced at licensed tracks.
The position at present is that——
I cannot allow the Deputy to proceed along those lines. He will put a relevant supplementary question. He will not make a statement.
Is the Minister aware that a person cannot race a dog on a greyhound racetrack unless he is a member of a coursing club? If he does not subscribe to blood sport or does not agree with it, such a person still has to be a member of a coursing club before he can race on a greyhound racing track. Will the Minister ensure that persons who do not approve of blood sport or coursing can race on a greyhound racing track without being a member of a coursing club?
Simply and solely because the coursing club is like Wetherbys, it is the registration authority. One does not have to course to run a dog on a track, if that is what the Deputy is saying. One can race a dog without ever coursing a dog or taking any part in blood sports as the Deputy says. They are the registration authority. Therefore, one has to operate through them. Just as in horse racing one has to operate through Weltherbys to prove the horses are thoroughbreds.
It appears the Minister does not understand my question. I agree that the coursing club is the registration authority, the naming authority, the authority for the maintenance of the stud book——
Yes.
But, in order to own a dog, one must be a member of a coursing club which is a different thing altogether.
We are awaiting a supplementary question.
The registration fee and the other fees chargeable by the Irish Coursing Club are for doing their job but not to subscribe to a coursing club, subscribe to a sport which——
Next question. The Deputy is not proceeding along the lines indicated by the Chair. Question No. 10.
Will the Minister indicate if the rights of individuals who do not want to participate will be protected and that they will not have to join a coursing club in order to race at a greyhound racing track notwithstanding the fact that they pay all the necessary fees?
All I can tell the Deputy is that I cannot jump a horse in this country without first joining the horse jumping or riding association.
Question No. 10.
I do not know whether the Minister has read Deputy Dowling's question because the Minister stated here that one does not have to course a greyhound but one has to join a club. Suppose that all people who join a coursing club did not course greyhounds what would be the reason then for the existence of such clubs? The Minister is evading the issue—that in order to run a dog on a track one must course it first of all. Therefore, the Minister is encouraging cruelty to animals.
The objects of the coursing club are the promotion of the breeding of thoroughbred greyhounds.
It is not the Irish Coursing Club. It is the members of individual coursing clubs—the South County Dublin, Donabate, or some other coursing club. That is the objection.
Order.
It is obvious that the Minister misunderstood the question. I do not mean the Irish Coursing Club as such. I mean membership of a coursing club affiliated to the Irish Coursing Club.
Yes.
A local club. He must be a member of a local club before he can name, register or race a greyhound. If a person does not agree with coursing——
Next question, No. 10.
Again, I want to accuse the Minister of moral cowardice.
Deputy Dowling is being ruled by the hare.