Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-02
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Barry Heneghan (IND), Dublin Bay North

Is as an gcathair dom. Tá sé sin soiléir. Tráth dá raibh, áfach, bhí giorriacha in Dollymount Beach. When we look back at the hare and how it has evolved on our island since the Ice Age, with the retreat of the ice caps, giorria, fia, the small deer, it is intrinsically linked to our culture. The hare featured on our old currency. It is a beautiful animal but, sadly, there has not been any on Dollymount Beach in my constituency since 2017 or 2018, due to illegal lamping and the illegal use of vicious dogs. The two golf clubs on the island loved the hares, as opposed to the rabbits, because they did not burrow on the golf courses.
I thank Deputy Paul Murphy. I fundamentally disagree with him a lot of the time but I do agree with him on this issue. I welcome the fact that he mentioned an Independent TD. It is good to see that he thinks some of them are good. Tony Gregory was a proud Dubliner, a man who raised this issue back before there was lobbying and an online world, and before the survey was done showing 77% oppose coursing. He also understood the power of being inside the tent, so I recommend that. He was also sadly defeated when he brought this issue up. Some 33 years on, we are still here. I thank Deputy Murphy for raising it, too. We hear Deputies from across the House say we should allow Teachtaí Dála to express their opinion on this matter, this barbaric killing of one of our beautiful native species. Thousands of wild hares are netted, I believe. Am I correct in saying it is 65,000?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-02/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:14+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-02