Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

-----for 12 months of the year, we are allowing hares to be used in a coursing environment. We have to see it in the context of the protection of this species. I would like to mention some of the commentary that has been made by the Irish Wildlife Trust, which is the foremost authority on this subject. It is a conservation organisation that uses all the relevant scientific data and expertise on the status of the Irish hare population. Some of its members are experts on this species. The Irish Wildlife Trust has said that the hare on this island is an endemic sub-species. In other words, it is not found anywhere else in the world. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has assessed the conservation of the hare, on the basis of recent studies, and expressed some concerns. It has suggested that the population is stable but is subject to important fluxes. A species action plan for the Irish hare, which was published by the same organisation, states that hare populations have undergone a substantial decline in the past 15 to 20 years and are thought to have fallen to a critical level in some areas. There is concern about the conservation of hares.

The Irish Wildlife Trust has suggested in one of its reports that the unsustainable taking of hares for sporting purposes could be one of the reasons the species is threatened and in decline. It is obvious that this extension of hunting licences, to allow some more hares to be shot, will pose a further threat to the species as a whole. The trust believes this important species needs to be protected. It is afforded protection under the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended in 2000, and under the EU habitats directive. Additional measures need to be put in place to protect the hare. It is relevant to examine this issue in its entirety. The Government has been incredibly slow to introduce legislation to protect animals from cruelty. However, it has found time to fast-track this measure, which will result in more hares being shot. It is particularly reprehensible that we are doing this at the moment. Other Deputies have made the point that shooting animals and wildlife, including birds, is good for tourism. I suggest the opposite argument can be made. Bird-watching and similar activities are also very important for local tourism. If we prevent wild birds from being shot, it will be good for the economy. Therefore, it is not appropriate for this Bill to extend current legislative provisions in this way. I do not think we should take part in it. I do not agree with the Bill for those reasons.

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