Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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9. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of representations she has received in respect of objections to the granting of licences to coursing clubs; and if she will meet some of the groups which have concerns regarding this practice. [10013/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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This question relates to the level of engagement the Minister has had with groups and individuals who are concerned about her Department's continued granting of licences for hare coursing. The Minister indicated that this activity is regulated and that there are safeguards in place. However, her comments are belied by the reality. Will the Minister outline the contact she has had with individuals who might provide her with a very different view on this matter than that promoted by coursing clubs?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Hare coursing is administered by the Irish Coursing Club, a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958.

Licences were issued by my Department in August 2014 under the Wildlife Acts to the Irish Coursing Club, on behalf of its affiliated clubs, to facilitate the tagging and capturing of hares for the purpose of hare coursing for the 2014-2015 season. I have received numerous representations in recent months requesting me to revoke the licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club and asking me not to issue any further licences to it. I understand that the majority of these representations have been prompted by an online campaign organised by anti-blood sports organisations urging people to make such representations to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and me. I have not received any requests for meetings on foot of these recent representations.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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I am glad the Minister verified that there has been considerable contact with her Department. This reflects the fact that the majority of people are appalled by the live baiting, mauling and killing of hares in the so-called name of sport. Hare coursing is a practice that has been outlawed in Australia, Britain, Northern Ireland and so on. I hope the Minister will agree to meet some of the groups involved. The problem is that licences are granted to coursing clubs on the basis of certain conditions. Information obtained by some of the animal welfare organisations under the freedom of information legislation shows that many of these conditions are being violated. For example, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, is supposed to monitor the activities which take place at coursing meetings. However, it only managed to monitor 23 events last year. At an event in Fermoy, an NPWS ranger was obliged to call a vet to attend because one was not present. One of the conditions of the licences issued by the Department is that vets are supposed to be in attendance at meetings. At meetings held in Gorey and New Ross, numbers provided in respect of the number of hares killed were different from those tallied by the rangers present. Again, this is evidence that the rules are being bent.

Unlawful practices are ongoing which the Department must examine. Will the Minister meet some of the groups who have this information?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for her question. I know this is an area she is very passionate about, but I wish to make clear that issues relating to welfare and cruelty are a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and not me as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. My interest and area of responsibility is in the conservation of the hare. The scientific evidence available tells me that the conservation status of the hare is good. I do not have any concerns about the conservation of the hare, and welfare issues are a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

I have not received a formal request for a meeting but if people wish to meet me, they can contact my office and we will try to accommodate them.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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I will certainly suggest that they do that, but I would respectfully say to the Minister that the monitoring of licences is the prerogative of her Department. Some of the conditions for the licences are being severely breached. In Mallow, for example, nobody attended the meeting arranged by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, officer to meet the coursers. In Liscannor, a ranger was intimidated when she asked to check the hare paddock, yet co-operation with NPWS officers is a condition of the licence being granted. Having a vet on call is another condition of the licence. Some animal welfare groups and information from the Department's NPWS officers verify that such breaches are taking place. I presume when that happens it is a basis for stating the licence should be revoked. There is obviously a bigger picture in the sense that the activity in its entirety should be banned, but there are issues the Department could examine now.

The Minister said she had no concerns about hare stocks but the figures are at variance with the real experience of the NPWS officers. I will get the groups to contact the Minister in the hope that it might assist in advancing the issues.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. The conservation of the hare is my responsibility and the evidence I have received indicates that it is in good conservation status. From my perspective, no issues arise in terms of conservation. However, if the groups wish to contact my office, we will certainly consider a request for a meeting.