Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

If there were a free vote on banning live hare coursing, there would be a different attitude. After my Bill was sadly defeated, members of the parties that voted against it told me they would have voted in favour of it if there had been a free vote.

Unauthorised photography is forbidden at coursing meetings so people who attempt to video the meetings do so with great difficulty. Nevertheless, there is video evidence, with the most recent from the Ardpatrick and Kilfinane coursing in Limerick. Muzzling and other rules do not adequately protect the hare and the footage shows signs of great cruelty. The hare is struck by the dogs, and that is without mentioning the hare's suffering during the capture and confinement period, which is totally against the animal's nature.

While I am proud of Ireland's uniqueness in certain areas, I am not proud that we are unique in this area. We are only one of three countries where live hare coursing continues. The practice is banned everywhere else. There is an alternative. Drag hare coursing works in other countries. If we will not even consider it here, I can only conclude that it is the cruelty in the sport that attracts people. It is time that we look at this when survey after survey has shown that people do not want this activity.

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