Thanks to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow) for her latest Dail Questions in which she asks about “the advice received from the National Parks and Wildlife Service in relation to the prevalence of RHD2 in rabbits and hares and if specific recommendations were made in relation to the licensing of capturing of hares”.
Responding, Minister Malcolm Noonan acknowledged that the RHD2 virus is "highly contagious" and that "catching of hares in nets and keeping them in transportation boxes and confined areas like coursing hare parks could all be considered to increase the risk of disease spread"...
Jennifer Whitmore Dail Questions, 29 July 2020
To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the study on the prevalence of rabbit haemorrhagic disease, RHD2, in hares will be commenced; the scope of the research carried out; when she anticipates that results will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the advice received from the National Parks and Wildlife Service in relation to the prevalence of RHD2 in rabbits and hares; if specific recommendations were made in relation to the licensing of capturing of hares; the text of those recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party):
I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
The RHD2 virus, which affects both rabbits and hares, was discovered in a number of rabbits and hares around the country during last summer. The scientific advice provided to my Department at the time and following the issuing of annual licences indicated that the virus was highly contagious and easily spread. Moreover, the Department was advised that catching of hares in nets and keeping them in transportation boxes and confined areas like coursing hare parks could all be considered to increase the risk of disease spread.
Given my Department’s responsibility in relation to the conservation status of the Irish hare, it was decided to suspend the licences issued by my Department to the Irish Coursing Club on 9 August 2019 - until a clearer understanding of the extent, spread and implications of the RHD2 virus emerged.
A revised more restrictive licence was subsequently issued to the Irish Coursing Club in October 2019 effective to the end of February this year.
In tandem with the granting of revised and more restrictive coursing licences, field studies were undertaken at four coursing clubs, which involved veterinary and virology expertise and input. These studies were carried out to supplement existing knowledge of the prevalence and nature of RHD2 and were undertaken with co-operation between the NPWS, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Irish Coursing Club.
The field studies involved the microchipping and swabbing of all captured hares and the testing of swabs in DAFM laboratories for RHD2. All the hares from these four field studies which were tested for the RHD2 virus were negative.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is currently working with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on a national survey of RHD2 in rabbits. This involves sampling rabbits from hunting bags at different locations in every county of Ireland. All animals will be tested for RHD2 virus (which will demonstrate the presence of the disease) and RHD2 antibodies (to confirm previous exposure to the virus and subsequent recovery). Work on the survey has commenced and is ongoing.
The results of this survey will provide a snapshot of the prevalence of RHD2 nationally and will hopefully highlight any geographical patterns that may be present. The results will also indicate if the prevalence of animals with detectable antibodies provides evidence that ‘herd immunity’ to the disease is developing among the rabbit population. It is hoped that an improved knowledge of the disease in rabbits will enhance our understanding of the risks that this disease poses to Irish hares.
Testing for the virus itself can only be conducted in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine laboratories in Backweston and I understand that this will take some time as those facilities are assisting in the Covid-19 testing programme. It is expected that results will be available before the end of the year.
URGENT ACTION ALERT
HELP THE HARES: Please urgently contact Green Party Ministers Malcolm Noonan (who has responsibility for the National Parks and Wildlife Service) and Catherine Martin (who has responsibility for wildlife) and urge them to REFUSE a 2020-21 hare coursing licence.
Malcolm Noonan TD
Heritage Minister
Tel: (01) 6183148
Email: malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm
Catherine Martin TD
Culture and Heritage Minister
Tel: (01) 618 3018
Email: catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Catherinemartingreen/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cathmartingreen
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRkXOvbUPNNjMc6LShwiiXBfnDAPbykf
With a RED C opinion poll confirming that a 77 per cent majority of Irish citizens want hare coursing banned (with just 9 per cent disagreeing with a ban), it is now time for politicians to consign this nasty bloodsport to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar to respect the wishes of the majority and ban hare coursing and all bloodsports.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
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
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Please sign and share the petition
Ban Blood Sports in Ireland Now
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland