Upcoming Events

International | Environment

no events match your query!

New Events

International

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

Anti-Empire

offsite link Ukraine Shoots Down F-16 With Patriot, A... Sat Aug 31, 2024 11:53 | Anti-Empire

offsite link Surprise Offensive Puts 300 km² of Russ... Fri Aug 09, 2024 08:44 | Marko Marjanović

offsite link The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire

offsite link In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire

offsite link UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović

Anti-Empire >>

The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.  We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below). 

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N°106 Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:21 | en

offsite link Luis Arce allegedly planned the assassination of his rival Evo Morales Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:12 | en

offsite link In Kazan, the order of the world changed , by Thierry Meyssan Tue Oct 29, 2024 07:01 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N°105 Sat Oct 26, 2024 05:27 | en

offsite link Settlers prepare for 'resettlement in Gaza' Fri Oct 25, 2024 12:46 | en

Voltaire Network >>

FOI reports show Minister let hare coursing clubs off the hook despite clear evidence of license violations

category international | environment | press release author Thursday April 30, 2015 18:57author by Animal Protection Ireland Report this post to the editors

Another blow to battered "credibility" of Ireland's shamed hare coursing fraternity...

Irish animal protection groups are shocked to learn from FOI reports that the National Parks & Wildlife Service, following "discussions" with Arts & Heritage Minister Heather Humphreys, decided not to sanction two coursing clubs for clear breaches of license conditions that supposedly apply to the holding of all coursing events, and that she gave them the green light to continue coursing hares during the 2014/15 season, despite what the NPWS officials referred to as the “seriousness of the incidents at these meetings”.
The controversial letter sent by Mallow Coursing Club to the NPWS
The controversial letter sent by Mallow Coursing Club to the NPWS

According to an internal NPWS memo, obtained by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS) under FOI; "It was decided, given the seriousness of the incidents at these meetings, to impose sanctions on both clubs (Mallow and Liscannor) by way of a reduction in the number of competitive courses allowed by each club at their forthcoming meetings. However, following discussions with the Minister, it was decided that before the imposition of these sanctions, both clubs should be given the opportunity to provide assurances relating to future co-operation with Department officials..."

Another NPWS memo stated: “The main issues of concern reported by the Conservation Ranger at the Liscannor meeting on 28 and 29 September 2013 was the refusal of club officials to allow access to the paddock area (where hares are kept) and subsequent intimidation and verbal abuse of the conservation ranger”.

The same internal NPWS memo refers to Mallow Coursing Club, stating that there was lack of cooperation with the conservation ranger and discrepancies relating to the release of hares, plus a claim by the club that the conservation ranger was present at releases when in fact this was not the case.

Another FOI document reveals that an official of Mallow Coursing Club sent a somewhat arrogant and less than apologetic letter to the National Parks & Wildlife Assistant Principal, challenging the conservation ranger’s report, i.e. claiming that she did not turn up to oversee the release of the hares, while in fact it was the coursing club officials who failed to turn up at the appointed time, refusing to give their contact phone numbers to the ranger, claiming they didn’t have mobile phones.

The letter (see scanned copy with this article) said: “As regards the threatened sanctions, our two local TDs Sean Sherlock and Tom Barry have been made aware of the situation.” They further stated that the two TDs were “well aware that the Mallow club at all times abide by the rules”.

This letter can be offered as yet further evidence of the deference shown by politicians to hare coursing clubs, even when the clubs breach their own woefully inadequate “rules” and the equally pathetic NPWS license conditions that are supposed to afford the hares some measure of protection when they are used for animal baiting purposes in coursing.

The NPWS had also recommended that Liscannor coursing club would have one third of the usual number of hare courses reduced but, again after "discussions with the Minister", no sanction was applied to Liscannor Coursing Club. The Minister instead accepted assurances from Mallow and Liscannor coursing clubs that they would not re-offend in future coursing seasons.

Her handling of the issue (license breaches by coursing clubs) is extremely disappointing given her insistence in response to Dail questions that breaches of the hare coursing license conditions would not be tolerated.

For animal protection and conservation groups, it confirms that the conditions attached to the hare coursing license are practically worthless and that is the coursing clubs that hold sway over the Minister and other politicians. We hope that our politicians will eventually break free from the vice-like grip in which the coursing clubs appear to hold them. The letter from Jackie Murphy is a reminder of why this blood sport continues to be legal in Ireland despite all the evidence of cruelty and violations of the Wildlife Act.

Here, again, is video footage showing what coursing clubs and some lynchpins of the political establishment consider “sport”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLRkXOvbUPNNiGTsXVvy...rL0rA

Related Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLRkXOvbUPNNiGTsXVvyZdECvNZfKcdNzB&v=4LrFGNrL0rA
author by Save the Irish Harepublication date Thu Apr 30, 2015 19:17author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Yet another nail in the coffin of hare coursing in Ireland. Maybe politicians will soon get around to listening to the majority of Irish people who want this blood sport banned.

Tireless campaigner Clare Daly TD with anti hare coursing protesters...
Tireless campaigner Clare Daly TD with anti hare coursing protesters...

Another subjected to pointless injury for the amusement of gamblers and sight seers
Another subjected to pointless injury for the amusement of gamblers and sight seers

Objecting to hare coursing cruelty...
Objecting to hare coursing cruelty...

Related Link: http://www.banbloodsports.com
 
© 2001-2024 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy