Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's Bill. Hare coursing is a huge part of the tradition and social fabric of rural Ireland. The breeding of greyhounds for greyhound racing and coursing is a significant sporting interest and a significant source of income for dog breeders and small farmers in rural Ireland. It is particularly prevalent in Munster and in my county of County Clare. In west Clare, every second farmer is involved in greyhound breeding and coursing. It is part of the fabric of rural society and many of my constituents are involved in this sport. It has been a traditional pastime for decades and longer but it was unregulated.

In recent years, hare coursing has been modified substantially with a view to the protection of the hare in capture, including regulation concerning its welfare before coursing meetings, the muzzling of dogs, the alteration of the course for the safety of the hare and the release of the hare following the coursing meeting. The purpose of coursing is not to kill or harm the hare but to turn the hare. If hare coursing were to be banned, it would go underground and become unregulated, which would lead to the loss of the protection these regulations confer on the hare.

Rural people are custodians of their environment. They know their environment and see how nature works. Hares are natural prey for many wild animals and this is part of nature. The number of hares killed on our roads every day is substantial and far outweighs any number inadvertently injured during a coursing meeting. I will be opposing the Bill.

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