Sinn Fein is again being urged to vote in favour of Paul Murphy TD's Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill tomorrow, Wednesday, 8th July.
There is an expectation on Sinn Fein to back a ban, not only because of the inherent cruelty but also due to the fact that coursing is an assault on the Irish hare that was "brought here by British colonialism".
Speaking in the Dail last week, Deputy Murphy stated: “Sinn Féin needs to stand up and make the right decision, which is to ban hare coursing here, just as it is already banned in the North. There should be no more partitionism on this. Hare coursing in this country is a legacy of British colonialism introduced here by the British Army.”
In a renewed appeal, we have told Sinn Fein that we do not accept its claim that "outright bans would drive these practices underground, so we favour regulation".
The party was reminded that hare coursing is already "regulated" and that hares continue to suffer the fear and stress of being captured in nets, 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. It does not eliminate the negative impact on the welfare of all captured hares, which can diminish their subsequent chances of survival.
Addressing Sinn Fein's stated concerns that a ban would drive the activity underground, we pointed out that there is already "underground" illegal coursing taking place around the country. This situation is not helped by the Department of Heritage's licensing of coursing which sends out the unfortunate message that the persecution of hares is acceptable.
After hare coursing is finally banned, breaches of legislation could be dealt with by a properly resourced Wildlife Crime Unit - a unit which was promised in the past but has yet to materialise and which Sinn Fein representatives have pushed for. In the meantime, some joint operations between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Gardaí have resulted in arrests and convictions for illegal hare coursing and lurching, demonstrating that wildlife crime can be effectively tackled. Therefore, opposing a ban due to fears of coursing going underground, is without foundation.
We also told Sinn Fein that licensed hare coursing can actually facilitate illegal coursing, i.e. the confinement of numerous hares in coursing enclosures or at so-called coursing preserves creates an unnatural density of hares at single locations, and this can be a magnet for illegal coursers/lurchers familiar with the activities of coursing clubs. These hares are extremely vulnerable.
Last year, for example, hares escaped and six were “never recaptured” after what was described as a “malicious break-in” at a coursing field in County Galway. Their fate was not revealed. Previously, eight hares went missing and three were killed at Tradaree coursing club after an enclosure break-in, 15 hares were reported stolen from the Gorey Coursing Club compound and there were reports that at Rathdowney coursing club, "three dogs broke into the hare compound and mauled and butchered about 78 hares".
Sinn Fein has declared that it "supports the protection of high animal welfare standards across the island of Ireland". It must follow that the party gives its backing to a ban on hare coursing, a bloodsport which makes a mockery of animal welfare legislation.
Sinn Fein's widely welcomed new policy in support of a ban on fox hunting acknowledges that "fox hunting is rejected by the vast majority of people living in rural Ireland". The same RED C poll which confirmed that the vast majority are opposed to fox hunting, also found that the vast majority are opposed to hare coursing - 77% support a ban, a mere 9% disagree with a ban, 14% don't know.
As public representatives, it is the duty of Sinn Fein TDs to represent the 77% of the public who abhor cruelty and not the 9% who find fun in abusing an icon of Irish biodiversity.
We hope that in the Dail on Wednesday, Sinn Fein will stand up for the Irish Hare, side with the compassionate majority and play its part in consigning cruel, colonial coursing to history.
TAKE ACTION
Join us in urging Sinn Fein to change its position, respect the wishes of the 77% majority and back a ban. Contact Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald TD and party TDs and tell them to vote in favour of the Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill on 8th July.
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
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 on 8th July.
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 on 8th July.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
[Name/Address]
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
http://revolut.me/icabs
Watch our campaign videos
The suffering of hares during 2025 26 coursing season
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jN3OMM7_UY
Hares in captivity at cruel coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFlADkFj7jA