Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-02
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Roderic O'Gorman (GP), Dublin West

Apologies. I know the point has been made about the risk of hare coursing being driven underground. First, it is important to recognise that illegal hare coursing already takes place underground. It is probably the biggest cause of mortality among hares right now. I do not believe the existence, and continued existence, of an illegal practice justifies the continued State support for a practice that is currently legal. While it is important the State takes those steps to deal with illegal coursing as it happens at the moment, I do not believe that should be linked to the continuance of hare coursing in legal meets.
I see hare coursing as an issue that is interconnected with the wider issue of the greyhound industry in this country. I have a real concern, from responses to multiple sets of parliamentary questions I have submitted to the Department and the greyhound racing board, about what the traceability system that has been put in place is actually showing us. It is worthwhile to talk about one year, 2021, when 11,600 greyhounds were born. Of those, only 450 are still actively racing, five years later. Of the rest, 1,500 have been rehomed, something I welcome, but 3,300 of those dogs born in 2021 are dead. These are dogs that did not get past their fifth birthdays. A further 5,300 have been exported to countries where we have no control over the animal welfare standards they face. Those dogs may have been re-exported subsequently as well. The State provides significant funding to this industry - €20 million of taxpayer's money every year. It is my view that funding should not be provided any more. I know in the previous Dáil, my colleague, former Deputy Neasa Hourigan, brought forward Private Members' legislation to decouple the funding of greyhound racing from the funding of the wider equine industry.
Ultimately, the point we will be voting on is the specific issue of hare coursing. I and my party do not believe the trauma caused by this practice, even in the muzzled context, is justified. I think Ireland should adopt the change, the evolution in thinking on this matter, that has been seen in many other countries.
The introduction of the muzzle in 1993 was a reflection of the fact that the Irish people no longer believed it was morally justifiable for a live hare to be torn apart at the end of a coursing. In terms of their opposition, the Irish people's views on hare coursing have changed, evolved and have become more trenchant. The vote on this matter will demonstrate a House that is out of step with where the Irish people stand. Unfortunately, Deputy Murphy's Bill will not pass Second Stage, but I do think this matter will come before the House again. We have not seen the end of it.

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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