Deputy Michael Healy Rae TD has confirmed that he will fully oppose Rise TD Paul Murphy’s new bill that seeks to ban hare coursing in Ireland.
If passed, Deputy Murphy’s proposal would see anyone who takes part in coursing fined €1,000 and they would also face up to six months in prison.
However Deputy Michael Healy Rae said he would oppose the bill and all the ‘propaganda and false truths’ that usually go with the debate, so to blind people of the facts and to play on their emotions.
Highly Regulated Environment
The Kerry deputy said he was happy that coursing operates in a highly regulated environment coupled with comprehensive rules directly applied by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC).
“The sport of coursing operates under a license from the Minister for Heritage, issued annually with a total of over twenty conditions attached which is overseen by the ICC.
Meetings Held to Task
“Meetings are held to task by the many clubs around the country including Kerry where the sport has been part of the fabric of the county,” said Deputy Healy Rae.
“The introduction of the bill was nothing more than a publicity-seeking stunt that sees RISE wanting to point score on the current Green Minister who supported such a bill a number of years ago.
Come Out Now !
“I would hope that this bill is defeated and I am calling on all other Kerry politicians and rural based TDs from around Ireland to come out now and make their support public for the sport of hare coursing.
“Many have been found guilty in the past of showing up on the day after independent TDs like myself do all the battling,” he concluded on a fighting note.
