Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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97. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will ensure all coursing meetings are adequately monitored; the details of correspondence she received in 2017 regarding breaches of licence; the way in which they have been investigated; the results of the investigations; and the action taken to address the said breaches. [3040/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Where resources allow, local National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) conservation rangers and other staff attend coursing meetings, on a spot-check basis, to monitor compliance with licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club and its affiliated clubs.    While my Department does not have resources to provide 100% attendance at coursing meetings, it endeavours to attend as many meetings as possible having regard to the various calls on its staffing complement.    

During the 2016/17 coursing season, conservation rangers attended seventeen coursing meetings and the same number of meetings was monitored during the 2015/16 season.  There has been an increase in the level of monitoring this year.  Since the 2017/18 coursing season began, staff of NPWS have already monitored some twenty four coursing events, including trials.

My Department has received some correspondence from individuals and groups alleging breaches of the conditions of the licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club. These allegations are investigated by my Department provided the information can be substantiated.  Any issues arising from these investigations will be reviewed and considered in the context of licences for the 2018/19 coursing season.