Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2019
161. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether live hare coursing has a place in a modern society in view of the grave concerns over greyhound welfare in general across Ireland raised over the past number of months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37893/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the provisions of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, the regulation of coursing is chiefly a matter for the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon.
My Department has a strong and consistent record regarding the enforcement of animal welfare rules, including the review of 100 years of animal welfare legislation, leading to the enactment of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
In addition, my Department is working with Bord na gCon on the development of a suite of measures, including a ring fenced fund "The Care Fund" to address a range of welfare matters. Bord na gCon will also be using the provisions laid down in the newly signed Greyhound Racing Act 2019 to improve the traceability of greyhounds and there will be a review of how exchequer funding is allocated within Bord na gCon, with a view to refocusing the industry on welfare issues.
The ICC has assured my Department that it has systems and practices in place to underpin the welfare of hares and greyhounds involved in coursing. Hares can only be collected for coursing by clubs affiliated to the ICC, in accordance with the terms of two licences granted by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
These licences contain 26 conditions which have been refined over the years, the majority of which are central to hare welfare. These include a variety of measures, including a requirement that a qualified veterinarian attends all coursing meetings to report on the health of the hares, a prohibition on the coursing of hares more than once in the same day, a prohibition on the coursing of sick or pregnant hares and a requirement that hares be released back into the wild during daylight hours.
The ICC also attends to the welfare of the hare and undertakes a range of actions to address issues related to health and welfare. Coursing clubs are required to comply with directives, instructions and guidance notes issued by the ICC in all matters relating to the capture, keeping in captivity, tagging, marking, coursing and release of hares, and the muzzling of greyhounds.
A Monitoring Committee on Coursing is in place, comprising officials from my Department, the ICC and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), to monitor developments in coursing and, in that regard, the situation is kept under constant review to ensure that coursing is run in a well controlled and responsible manner in the interests of both hares and greyhounds.
The licence for the 2019/2020 coursing season has been suspended by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht due to the outbreak of the RHD2 virus and that department continues to monitor the situation.
I believe that it is critically important that those involved in coursing operate in accordance with the regulatory framework and that the welfare of both hares and greyhounds is prevalent at all times.
