Decision time for Gormley ... will there be Hare Coursing in September 2009?

[OceanFrog]

From the Indo 4th Aug 2009 ... Decision Time for Hare Coursing

"This is the month when, traditionally, the Environment Minister decides whether or not to allow another season of this legalised cruelty. His decision will relate specifically to the granting of a licence to the country's coursing clubs allowing them to capture hares for use as live bait in coursing. If, as in previous years, the Department of the Environment opts to authorise the hare-netting, coursing events will again be staged nationwide from the end of September. If, however, the minister withholds the hare-netting licence, there can be no coursing. Without hares to course, the baiting events would have to be cancelled."

I am both disgusted and baffled as to why Gormley has allowed this license to be granted in previous years. And he will probably allow it to be granted again this year.

This breaks (another!!!) Green pre election 2007 promise, and goes against public opinion. According to Paul Gogarty speaking in 2006, statistics show that 75 per cent of people living in the countryside and 90 per cent of city dwellers oppose hare coursing... So why are our legislators ignoring this fact?

Green TD Paul Gogarty also said in the same speech ... "Hare coursing involves cruelty to both hares and dogs. This has to stop. I am not anti-greyhound racing, but an industry that knowingly engages in animal cruelty for profit is not one that should be allowed operate in such a fashion. Do these parliamentary colleagues condone the stress caused to hares that are captured for up to six weeks? Do they condone the deaths from stress and maulings that still occur, even with muzzles on the greyhounds? What about the illegal bloodings that still go on and the putting down of greyhounds that have outlived their economic usefulness? Is there not an element of hypocrisy involved?"

So Greens, to quote TD Gogarty, is there not an element of hypocrisy involved when Minister Gormley grants this license?

And again to quote Gogarty, do the Green Pary now condone the stress caused to hares that are captured for up to six weeks? Do they condone the deaths from stress and maulings that still occur? What about the illegal bloodings that still go on and the putting down of greyhounds that have outlived their economic usefulness?

Well Greens? Do you condone this? If not, what are you doing to stop it? Why is Gormley still granting these licenses?

I applaud the Green Party for being concerned about the plight of endangered polar bears on the melting polar ice floes. Fianna Fail didn't object to protecting the Polar Bears either. I suppose we are lucky there are no polar bear baiting clubs here or we might have to endure another Green u-turn...

[BodyofEvidence]

ITs a long standing GP policy to ban this. So I would expect that they will probably insist that the hares are drugged and the greyhounds be crossbred with rotters and staffies to make it more a spectacle.
They never met a core policy yet that was more important than seats on the cabinet....Hares how are ye.

[BodyofEvidence]

From the Indo 4th Aug 2009 ... Decision Time for Hare Coursing

"This is the month when, traditionally, the Environment Minister decides whether or not to allow another season of this legalised cruelty. His decision will relate specifically to the granting of a licence to the country's coursing clubs allowing them to capture hares for use as live bait in coursing. If, as in previous years, the Department of the Environment opts to authorise the hare-netting, coursing events will again be staged nationwide from the end of September. If, however, the minister withholds the hare-netting licence, there can be no coursing. Without hares to course, the baiting events would have to be cancelled."

I am both disgusted and baffled as to why Gormley has allowed this license to be granted in previous years. And he will probably allow it to be granted again this year.

This breaks (another!!!) Green pre election 2007 promise, and goes against public opinion. According to Paul Gogarty speaking in 2006, statistics show that 75 per cent of people living in the countryside and 90 per cent of city dwellers oppose hare coursing... So why are our legislators ignoring this fact?

Green TD Paul Gogarty also said in the same speech ... "Hare coursing involves cruelty to both hares and dogs. This has to stop. I am not anti-greyhound racing, but an industry that knowingly engages in animal cruelty for profit is not one that should be allowed operate in such a fashion. Do these parliamentary colleagues condone the stress caused to hares that are captured for up to six weeks? Do they condone the deaths from stress and maulings that still occur, even with muzzles on the greyhounds? What about the illegal bloodings that still go on and the putting down of greyhounds that have outlived their economic usefulness? Is there not an element of hypocrisy involved?"

So Greens, to quote TD Gogarty, is there not an element of hypocrisy involved when Minister Gormley grants this license?

And again to quote Gogarty, do the Green Pary now condone the stress caused to hares that are captured for up to six weeks? Do they condone the deaths from stress and maulings that still occur? What about the illegal bloodings that still go on and the putting down of greyhounds that have outlived their economic usefulness?

Well Greens? Do you condone this? If not, what are you doing to stop it? Why is Gormley still granting these licenses?

I applaud the Green Party for being concerned about the plight of endangered polar bears on the melting polar ice floes. Fianna Fail didn't object to protecting the Polar Bears either. I suppose we are lucky there are no polar bear baiting clubs here or we might have to endure another Green u-turn...

[Supermanpolitician]

Nothing highlights the ignorance of the Green Lobby more than their stance on hare coursing and hunting neither of which I partake in, nor have I ever.

Green Party talks to rural Ireland as if somehow they were ill educated gombeens, barbaric and needed to be thought a lesson in civilisation but privileged D4 (and I use that as an adjective, not a description of anyone in D4 as I have many friends there) types who have achieved some environmental utopia, if only they could implement it.

Meanwhile rural and urban Ireland saw the Gormley stand shoulder to shoulder with Bertie Ahern when he was caught lying. They stood by when education and health cuts were savage.

They are in no position to lecture anybody in Ireland about their culture.

[OceanFrog]

From the Green Party website ... accessed 5th August 2009 ...

"When in government, the Green Party will introduce legislation to end blood sports".

And yet Gormley continues to issue these licenses!

[Hewson]

Gormley will have every rural FF and FG TD who keeps a greyhound, or who has friends in the greyhound business (still thriving), having a quiet word in his ear about the importance of coursing in the whole greyhound industry.

The cruelties involved in greyhound breeding and racing are well documented: live cats being thrown to hounds outside the track in Limerick was relatively commonplace; muzzling the dogs during coursing was only introduced after repeated film reports on TV of dogs tearing screaming hares to bits between them; dogs who are no longer fit for purpose are dumped on the roadside, killed or shipped abroad to places where animal rights are practically non-existent.

When the Greens entered Government some things were expected of them and a focus on the rights of animals to be protected from unnecessary cruelty was one of them.

They've failed to deliver even on that simple issue.

[yehbut_nobut]

...as if somehow they were ill educated ...and needed to be thought a lesson

Hmm... couldn't resist, sorry


I take your overall point SMP, but that attitude doesn't characterise any Green party members or supporter that I know personally, all of whom live in rural areas.

[OceanFrog]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=645KI4pbb3k]YouTube - Urge Green Party leader to stop licensing cruelty[/ame]

[TradCat]

I'm against a ban on coursing on the basis that I have no wish to restrict the liberties of other people. It's not something I'd ever participate in but that's as far as my objection goes.

But if the Greens can't even deliver this much to their own supporters then they are in office but not in power.

[MsAnneThrope]

We had a detailed thread on hare coursing these past few weeks, which was sabotaged by a troll unfortunately, but the background to the whole coursing subject is contained in it, along with Green promises over the years.

OceanFrog's thread here (you beat me to it ) is a direct question to Mr. Gormley and the Greens. Are you going to renege yet again on your pre-election promises, and countless party statements over the years, by failing to put an end to this barbaric, uncivilised practice, along with other cruel 'sports' such as stag and fox hunting? One would think you have a stronger hand this year, and if you're unable to deliver this time around, I hope you will hang your head in deserved shame, and do the honourable thing by resigning from Government.

We await your reply and actions...