Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Hare Coursing

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

176. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he is taking to address the situation in Clonmel, County Tipperary during the National Coursing meeting, where hares were kept in captivity for numerous days, when the coursing was cancelled due to bad weather, contrary to hare maintenance guidelines set out by the Irish Coursing Club (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10182/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the provisions of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 the regulation of coursing is chiefly a matter for the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the improvement and development of the greyhound industry, greyhound racing and coursing. The ICC has confirmed to my Department that it has systems in place to underpin the welfare of animals participating in coursing events. These include the issuing of guidelines to Coursing Clubs and the mandatory inspections of hares and coursing venues in advance of the commencement of an event.

The ICC rules provide for the postponement/cancellation of meetings in the event of adverse weather conditions, e.g. snow, frost or waterlogged ground, which may impact negatively on the welfare of the hare and/or the greyhound. The ICC invoked this provision when it postponed the national meeting scheduled for Monday, February 2nd 2015, to Sunday, February 8th 2015, due to unfavourable conditions caused by frost. I am advised that officials from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht did inspect the hares in the paddock while they were in the enclosure and found them to be in a very good condition with sufficient food and water supplied. Officials also attended the last day of the meeting on 8th February and agreed with the Club officials on the number and locations of the hares to be released back into the wild.

I am advised that the National Meeting commenced with 177 hares and following the completion of 209 competitive courses, all of the 177 hares were released back to the countryside in accordance with the conditions of the licences granted by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. I am also advised that ICC Guideline 7 enforcing the high standard of hare maintenance while the hares were held in captivity, was fully complied with.

The ICC has informed my Department that it ensures:

- Veterinary care is available to the hare at all times. Coursing Clubs employ a veterinary surgeon to attend at coursing meetings to administer care as deemed appropriate to any animal in need of attention.

- The health status of all hares is assessed by a veterinary surgeon (appointed by the ICC) and a member of the Hare & Field Committee and an ICC Control Steward prior to coursing.

- A member of the Executive Committee of the ICC oversees each coursing meeting. This person has powers to curtail or abandon a meeting if required.

- An ICC Control Steward is appointed to each meeting to ensure all rules are adhered to by the host club.

- On conclusion of the coursing meeting all hares are released back into the countryside under supervision of an ICC steward and a Wildlife Ranger, when available.

- Wildlife Rangers are officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and these officials attend a number of coursing meetings, including the National Meeting to monitor compliance with conditions of the licences issued by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. These licences facilitate the tagging and capturing of hares for the purpose of hare coursing.

- The conduct of each coursing meeting is monitored to capture relevant information as required by the NPWS and the ICC and this data is returned to the NPWS.

The ICC has assured my Department that the measures outlined above underpin the welfare of animals participating in coursing events, and were in place throughout the period during which the hares were in the care of the ICC for the national meeting.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.