Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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18. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will prevent Mallow hare coursing meeting from going ahead on 22-23 October 2014 at its venue in County Cork on the basis that it is in breach of condition 18 of the hare coursing licence granted by her Department. [40139/14]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 2014/15 coursing season.Where resources allow, officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department attend coursing meetings, on a spot-check basis, to monitor compliance with conditions on the licences granted by my Department.Veterinary officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine also attend some meetings on an annual basis.

The report of the official from my Department who attended the coursing meeting in Mallow in October 2013 indicated that there was a lack of co-operation with her in the course of her duties, an issue which I take very seriously.

Following engagement with the club and the Irish Coursing Club, the body that oversees individual coursing clubs, written assurances were provided to my Department that the club would fully co-operate with officials of my Department at all times and that they would adhere to all licence conditions. On the basis of these assurances, I decided not to impose sanctions against Mallow Coursing Club on this occasion. At the same time, the club has been issued with a written warning that any further transgressions, especially relating to lack of co-operation with National Parks and Wildlife officials of my Department, would result in my Department imposing future sanctions against the club.The meeting of Mallow Coursing Club, which is due to take place this week, will be monitored by officials from my Department.