Fine Gael and Sinn Fein have indicated that they shamefully won't support the upcoming bill to ban cruel hare coursing.

A report in yesterday's Irish Examiner stated that a spokesperson for Fine Gael leader Simon Harris TD "said a free vote would not be permitted". Parties are being urged to facilitate a free vote which would allow TDs to personally choose how they will vote, instead of being forced to follow the party's position. Fine Gael's current position is that it does not support a ban on hare coursing.

Meanwhile, "a Sinn Féin spokesperson told the Irish Examiner the party believes 'outright bans would drive these practices underground, so we favour regulation'."

Hare coursing is already "regulated" and hares continue to suffer the fear and stress of being captured in nets from the wild, held in captivity and forced to run for their lives from dogs. Regulation does not eliminate the painful injuries suffered by hares or the deaths at coursing meetings. Only a complete ban will achieve that.

Fine Gael and Sinn Fein's stances are completely unacceptable. The vast majority in Ireland want this bloodsport banned. A ban is long overdue.

Join us in urging Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail to respect the wishes of the majority and support the Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill when it returns to Dail Eireann for debate on 2nd July and for a vote on 8th July.

Read Louise Burne's report in the Irish Examiner
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41869269.html

TAKE ACTION

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein. Tell them to vote in favour of the Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill on 8th July.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
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
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Email Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein TDs and urge them to vote in favour of the Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill on 8th July.

Fianna Fail TDs

john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; peterchap.cleere@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; seamus.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; patthecope.gallagher@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; tom.brabazon@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; shane.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; shay.brennan@oireachtas.ie; catherine.ardagh@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; jack.chambers@oireachtas.ie; Minister@per.gov.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; albert.dolan@oireachtas.ie; john.connolly@oireachtas.ie; michael.cahill@oireachtas.ie; norma.foley@oireachtas.ie; minister@dcde.gov.ie; naoise.ocearuil@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; erin.mcgreehan@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; ministerdrcd@drcd.gov.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; aisling.dempsey@oireachtas.ie; tony.mccormack@oireachtas.ie; martin.daly@oireachtas.ie; eamon.scanlon@oireachtas.ie; ryan.omeara@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.byrne@oireachtas.ie

Fine Gael TDs

catherine.callaghan@oireachtas.ie; david.maxwell@oireachtas.ie; joe.cooney@oireachtas.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; johnpaul.oshea@oireachtas.ie; jerry.buttimer@oireachtas.ie; naoise.omuiri@oireachtas.ie; james.geoghegan@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; grace.boland@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; maeve.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; emer.currie@oireachtas.ie; barry.ward@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; peter.roche@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; joe.neville@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; william.aird@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O'Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; micheal.carrigy@oireachtas.ie; paula.butterly@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; keira.keogh@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; john.clendennen@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; michael.murphy@oireachtas.ie; john.cummins@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie; edward.timmins@oireachtas.ie; brian.brennan@oireachtas.ie; noel.mccarthy@oireachtas.ie

Sinn Fein TDs

natasha.newsomedrennan@oireachtas.ie; cathy.bennett@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; donna.mcgettigan@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; louise.oreilly@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oireachtas.ie; maire.devine@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; louis.ohara@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; joanna.byrne@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; rose.conwaywalsh@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; martin.kenny@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; conor.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; john.brady@oireachtas.ie; fionntan.osuilleabhain@oireachtas.ie

Sample Letter
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter)

Dear Deputy,

I am writing to ask that you please help bring cruel hare coursing to an end in Ireland by voting in favour of Paul Murphy TD’s Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill. 

Under licence from the Department of Heritage, coursers net thousands of hares from the wild, transport them in boxes to coursing compounds, manhandle them, hold them in captivity for weeks/months and eventually force them to run for their lives in front of greyhounds.

All the hares suffer fear and stress and, despite the muzzling of the dogs, hares are injured and killed every coursing season when they are caught and mauled. Among the injuries documented are broken back, spinal injury, broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips.

Hares suffer at all stages – during capture, while held captive and at the coursing meetings where they can be seen desperately running as a merciless mob cheer the dogs on and gamble on which will be first to force the hare to change direction. Coursing compromises the welfare of hares and those who survive the ordeal remain at risk of dying from stress-related capture myopathy in the days and weeks after they are released back to the wild.

With the suffering, stress, injury and death caused to hares at coursing meetings, there should be no hesitation in finally ending this shameful activity. This would be widely welcomed by the 77% majority of Irish citizens who want coursing banned (just 9% disagree with a ban. Source: RED C poll).

Ireland is in the middle of a biodiversity crisis and it’s time for the iconic Irish Hare to be given full protection and allowed to live free from persecution. 

Please support the Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020 on 2nd July (debate) and 8th July (vote).

Thank you. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

[Name/Address]

Watch our campaign videos

Tell your TDs to support the “Ban on Hare Coursing” Bill on 2nd July 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeVMqt6PamE

The suffering of hares during 2025 26 coursing season 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jN3OMM7_UY

Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
http://revolut.me/icabs