Tony Gregory
Ceist:129 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of hares killed at Clounanna on each of the dates 19, 20, and 21 February 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Coursing Meetings.
The numbers of hares killed at Clounanna on 19, 20 and 21 February were 22, 13 and 13 respectively.
This situation is quite unacceptable and I have asked Bord na gCon for a full report on the events as soon as possible. I understand from the board that the Irish Coursing Club has initiated a wideranging and urgent full-scale inquiry into all aspects of the running of this meeting. The investigation has already commenced and will address such issues as:
—the causes of the high mortality rate
—whether the advertised programme of events should have been curtailed in the circumstances
—the care, management, feeding, training and husbandry of the hare stock
—the pre-coursing veterinary attention to the hare stock
—the extent to which the rules of the ICC and the licence held by it were breached
—future administration of meetings.
Officials of my Department will liaise directly with the Irish Coursing Club — ICC — on the inquiry. The ICC have already stated publicly that the standard of coursing at this meeting is totally unacceptable to the ICC and to supporters of coursing.