‘Hands off coursing’, says the Agriculture committee chairman
FF’s Jackie Cahill has put his money where his mouth is to back a legal bid against his own administration’s Covid restrictions
THE Fianna Fáil Chairman of the Dáil Agriculture Committee has contributed to a financial war chest for the Irish Coursing Club to take a court action against Covid-19 restrictions, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
Government TD Jackie Cahill’s decision to contribute €200 to a fund to support a High Court action by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) challenge to his own Minister for Health’s Covid-19 restrictions has since attracted criticism.
‘I wouldn’t see any conflict in it’
However, Mr Cahill, a former head of national farming union the ICMSA, rather than accept the criticism says he views this court action as a chance ‘to draw a line’ under the campaign to ban sports like coursing.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday that he has a simple message to those who want to ban ‘our heritage’ – ‘hands off!’
Last week the ICC, which regulates hare coursing in Ireland, launched its legal challenge against the State’s failure to include it in a list of activities allowed to operate during the current Covid-19 restrictions.
The ICC has asked the High Court to hear its application for an injunction – against Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and the Minister for Housing – allowing its activities to recommence as a matter of urgency.
Mr Cahill, chair of the Agriculture Committee, which has over- sight for the greyhound industry, y, defended his decision to help fund d the court action.
Asked whether his decision n posed any conflict with his posiition as Agriculture chair, the Tipperary TD said: ‘To contribute a fund for coursing? I don’t.
‘I’m an owner of greyhounds. Mostly track, and I’ve dogs coursing but very few.
‘They are a voluntary sporting body, they feel that they have a case as regards the interpretation of a statutory instrument. They looked for funds to support a case in the High Court, and I’m a man who supports coursing so I wouldn’t see any conflict in it.’
He is not alone – the fund called ‘Save our Sport’ has raised well over €200,000.
In the last Covid-19 lockdown hare coursing was classified as an ‘elite’ sport, along with horse racing and greyhound racing. However, in the latest restrictions it is banned. The ICC’s Martin Hayden told the High Court on Friday that because the annual coursing season is due to finish at the end of February, it was vital from his client’s perspective that the injunction be given some priority by the court.
The club’s proceedings are against the Health Minister and the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage. Both are expected to oppose the injunction application.
Mr Cahill did not pull any punches when expressing his views on a lobby that he says has no appreciation of sports and pursuits followed by people from all parts of Ireland.
‘We have a lot of different sporting activities in Ireland and there’s a section of the community that want to ban it all,’ said Mr Cahill, who was touted as a potential Minister for Agriculture. ‘They’ve no appreciation of the heritage or the culture that is attached to these sports and the huge significance there is to them. ‘They are popular in rural Ireland of course, but a lot of other people follow these sports and activities.
‘These sports are part of our heritage and we are keeping these pursuits. Hands off!’
The ICC says while its activities were delisted, other similar sports, including its sister sport greyhound racing, horse racing and other equine activities, have been allowed to proceed by the government.
No reasons were given for its delisting, the ICC also claims.
Hare coursing is a controversial sport. Supporters say that its continued licensing by the government prevents it from going underground.
Yet a campaign to ban it here – it is already banned in Northern Ireland and Britain – has gained some high-profile supporters.
Hollywood star Pamela Anderson wrote to Micheál Martin last month asking him: ‘Will you please be the Taoiseach who finally lays cruel hare coursing to rest?
‘The novel coronavirus has taught us the devastating consequences of messing with wildlife. And your Government can heed that lesson by banning this so-called “sport”, in which gentle, sensitive hares – wild animals – are torn from their natural homes so that they can be chased by hounds for someone’s twisted idea of amusement.’
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, who is bringing a private member’s bill through the Dáil at the moment seeking to ban hare coursing, asked ‘What does the Taoiseach think of Jackie?’
Asked if he thought it appropriate that a Government TD should be contributing to a High Court action, he added: ‘I don’t.’
He said: ‘The court case is about Covid restrictions. Hare coursing has been removed as an elite sport under State Covid restrictions. It means that his actions are undermining the public health restrictions. Obviously the question that has to be asked is, are people like Jackie Cahill playing both sides?
Asked about coursing as an issue of rural culture, Deputy Murphy said: ‘This is what they always say. But the opinion polls say that a majority of voters and rural dwellers are in favour of a ban because a majority of people, whether they live in cities or in the country, are opposed to cruelty and that’s what hare coursing is.’
‘The majority are opposed to cruelty’’