Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-02
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Niall Collins (FF), Limerick County

I absolutely respect everybody's opinion in relation to this or any other issue. People are perfectly entitled to take a position on this or any other issue, to articulate that position and to exercise their mandate to debate in these Houses, as am I doing as both a constituency TD and a Minister of State at the Department of agriculture. It is wrong, however, to try to misrepresent what I have said and the factual position in relation to how highly regulated the activity of coursing is. There was not one iota of acknowledgement on the part of any Opposition speaker in relation to the fact that there are 44 conditions attached to the licences that are issued to coursing clubs. There is a robust and thorough inspection regime before, during and after coursing events take place. Again, that was rubbished. There was also an attempt to demonise people who are involved in coursing and those who have a view in support of coursing. That is very regrettable. Yes, it is a minority pursuit. The fact that an opinion poll shows a particular point of view among people does not mean that the Government has to follow a course of action based on that view. As stated earlier, if were to follow the utterances of some people on the Irish political stage, everything would be the subject of a referendum. We would be having referendums on the triple lock and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. We would be having referendums every day of the week. People would probably want a referendum on this issue also.
I have set out quite clearly why we are happy to support hare coursing. I know a lot of people who oppose it, and I respect their point of view. I do not have an issue with their point of view. Equally, I know a lot of people who are very involved in, supportive of and invested in coursing. I do not mean they are invested in a financial way. Again, there is an attempt to try to demonise people who are involved. I regret that, because they are very decent people. I know people right across my constituency and the entire country who are involved in coursing clubs. Coursing is an activity they engage in. It is very important to put on the record again that for people who are involved in coursing, animal welfare is their top priority. The supporters of this Bill to bring about a ban on hare coursing seek to try to dismiss that and to rubbish it. All I can say is that they are wrong. The people involved in coursing have to ensure that the highest standards of animal welfare apply to the greyhounds involved and that the hares associated with coursing are the subject of the highest standards of animal welfare. The latter is the case, particularly in the context of the input from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, its wildlife officers and the veterinary people who are associated with the regulation and inspection of coursing.
I reiterate what I said at the outset. We are opposing the Bill. We do not do government by referendum, by opinion poll findings or by any such approach. We are taking a structured approach and a regulated approach to this matter. It is fair to say that coursing has evolved over the years. It has done so in a highly regulated and structured environment. It has moved with the times. While coursing is a minority pursuit, that does not mean that the Government cannot continue to support it. We are absolutely continuing to support it. Under this Government, there will not be any change in relation to that approach. There will not be a free vote either.

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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