Hare Coursing

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022

Tuesday, 31 May 2022

Ceisteanna (217)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

217. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions his Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service intend to take in relation to the alleged misuse of national parks by organisers of hare coursing events specifically in Killarney National Park; if he will further clarify the position in relation to the use of national parks for such events; if the NPWS were informed prior to such events taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27218/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department can confirm that there has been no use of our properties by any Coursing club to hold Hare coursing events and my Department has not received any reports of illegal hunting of hares within the boundaries.

The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare.

While the regulation of hare coursing is not under my statutory control, licences are required by the Irish Coursing Club under the terms of the Wildlife Acts on behalf of their affiliated clubs to facilitate the netting and tagging of hares for closed park meetings. The licences granted by my Department in such instances include a range of conditions in relation to coursing hares which are designed to provide as much protection as possible to the conservation status of the hare.