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Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has confirmed that she will re-introduce her “Protection of Hares Bill” during the new Dail term. The bill will aim to secure a ban on cruel hare coursing in Ireland.

Speaking to ICABS during Wednesday’s “Ban Greyhound Racing” protest outside Dail Eireann, Deputy Whitmore said that she plans to update and expand the bill.

The Wicklow TD and Social Democrats’ Spokesperson for Climate and Biodiversity; and Children and Youth Affairs originally presented the bill in May 2023 and at the time commented: “I find it absolutely bizarre, frustrating and unbelievable that this practice is still allowed and is still facilitated by government when the majority of other countries have banned it because they recognise how awful and unacceptable it is. No civilised society should ever treat another animal in this way.”

She stressed that the hare is a “protected species” in Ireland.

“The Wildlife Act has deemed it a protected species and not many species in Ireland get that status,” she stated. “We have badger, bat, deer, hare, hedgehog, otter, pine marten and red squirrel. The same legislation that deems the hare protected because of its importance environmentally and culturally in Ireland, allows the Minister to sign off on licences for the capture and holding of these hares for the purposes of live hare coursing. I see that as a direct conflict within the legislation. If a species is protected, it should be protected and should not be subjected to that kind of, level of stress and torment.”

Her bill would “remove the ability of the Minister...to issue licences for the capture of hares”, a move that would “provide the hare species with the full protection of the Wildlife Act, as it should be”.

The Minister for Heritage shamefully issues licences which allow coursers to net thousands of hares from the wild and use them as live lures for dogs to chase. 

Every coursing season, hares are hit and pinned on coursing fields and suffer painful injuries and die. All the hares suffer the fear and stress of being manhandled, kept in unnatural captivity for weeks/months and forced to run for their lives.

The continuation of this bloodsport 25 years into the new millennium shames Ireland. It was outlawed in the UK in 2004 and a ban came into effect in Northern Ireland in 2010. It is banned in most countries around the world and Ireland is one of only three countries in the EU that continue to permit it.

The government must respect the wishes of the majority and outlaw coursing.  A RED C opinion poll found that a 77 per cent majority want hare coursing banned, with just 9% disagreeing with a ban.

Thank you to Jennifer Whitmore TD and the Social Democrats for pushing for a ban on hare coursing and an end to the funding for dog-killing greyhound racing.

ACTION ALERT 

Please join the “Ban Hare Coursing” protest outside Powerstown Park, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary this Sunday, 2 February 2025, from 12 midday to 2pm

Join us in urging political party leaders to back a ban on hare coursing and all bloodsports.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1 618 3805 or +353 (0)1 889 2442
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/

Please sign and share the petitions

Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing

Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

Please support our campaign with a donation

https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports