EXPOSED: The 36 Cork County Councillors who shamefully voted against a motion which called for a ban on cruel hare coursing.
The motion, presented by Green Party Councillors Alan O’Connor and Liam Quaide at a meeting on 9 January 2023, asked the council to write to Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue “to request that a nationwide ban on hare coursing be introduced”.
Similar motions have already been passed by Sligo County Council and Fingal County Council.
We can now reveal the names of the Councillors who disregarded the cruelty of hare coursing and voted against the motion:
AGAINST: (in alphabetical order)
Ann Marie Ahern (Fianna Fail)
Anthony Barry (Fine Gael)
Joe Carroll (Fianna Fail)
Danny Collins (Independent)
Gillian Coughlan (Fianna Fail)
Michael Creed (Fine Gael)
Caroline Cronin (Fine Gael)
Kay Dawson (Fine Gael)
Ian Doyle (Fianna Fail)
Pat Hayes (Fianna Fail)
John Healy (Independent)
Michael Hegarty (Fine Gael)
Declan Hurley (Independent)
Deirdre Kelly (Fianna Fail)
James Kennedy (Labour)
Mary Linehan Foley (Independent)
Michael Looney (Fianna Fail)
Ted Lucey (Fine Gael)
Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
Liam Madden (Fine Gael)
Noel McCarthy (Fine Gael)
Susan McCarthy (Fine Gael)
Seamus McGrath (Fianna Fail)
Gerard Murphy (Fine Gael)
Kevin Murphy (Fine Gael)
Patrick Gerard Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Michael Murtagh (Fine Gael)
Deirdre O’Brien (Fianna Fail)
Sheila O’Callaghan (Fianna Fail)
Frank O’Flynn (Fianna Fail)
William O’Leary (Fianna Fail)
John Paul O’Shea (Fine Gael)
Tony O’Shea (Fine Gael)
John O’Sullivan (Fine Gael)
Frank Roche (Independent)
Danielle Twomey (Sinn Fein)
AGAINST: (by party)
Ann Marie Ahern (Fianna Fail)
Joe Carroll (Fianna Fail)
Gillian Coughlan (Fianna Fail)
Ian Doyle (Fianna Fail)
Pat Hayes (Fianna Fail)
Deirdre Kelly (Fianna Fail)
Michael Looney (Fianna Fail)
Seamus McGrath (Fianna Fail)
Patrick Gerard Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Deirdre O’Brien (Fianna Fail)
Sheila O’Callaghan (Fianna Fail)
Frank O’Flynn (Fianna Fail)
William O’Leary (Fianna Fail)
Anthony Barry (Fine Gael)
Michael Creed (Fine Gael)
Caroline Cronin (Fine Gael)
Kay Dawson (Fine Gael)
Michael Hegarty (Fine Gael)
Ted Lucey (Fine Gael)
Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
Liam Madden (Fine Gael)
Noel McCarthy (Fine Gael)
Susan McCarthy (Fine Gael)
Gerard Murphy (Fine Gael)
Kevin Murphy (Fine Gael)
Michael Murtagh (Fine Gael)
John Paul O’Shea (Fine Gael)
Tony O’Shea (Fine Gael)
John O’Sullivan (Fine Gael)
Danielle Twomey (Sinn Fein)
James Kennedy (Labour)
Danny Collins (Independent)
John Healy (Independent)
Declan Hurley (Independent)
Mary Linihan Foley (Independent)
Frank Roche (Independent)
Three councillors also abstained in the vote. They were
Audrey Buckley (Fianna Fail)
Gearóid Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Martin Coughlan (Independent)
In defending the bloodsport, Fine Gael Councillor Eileen Lynch – who is a member of the Irish Coursing Club “executive committee” – stated that according to a study carried out by Queens University, there were 18 times more hares where there was coursing. However, that study is severely compromised, as just one coursing club (East Donegal) was surveyed and the hare count was carried out by the coursers themselves!
Fianna Fail’s Gillian Coughlan suggested that a ban on the barbaric bloodsport would be an example of “cancel culture”. Other councillors who spoke in favour of coursing at the meeting were Joe Carroll, Ian Doyle, Michael Hegarty and Frank Roche.
Councillors who claimed at the meeting that hare coursing is not cruel are into denial. Every single hare snatched from the wild to be used as live bait for greyhounds suffers extreme terror and stress, and hares continue to be injured and killed at coursing meetings.
And as for hare coursing being “well regulated”, all the regulations in the world, and the presence of vets and NPWS officers standing by, won’t alleviate the terror and suffering endured by defenceless hares running for their lives.
There is certainly no urban/rural divide when it comes to hare coursing, and this so-called attack on rural Ireland is a total myth! In fact, a 2019 RED C poll revealed that a whopping 77% of Irish citizens want the government to ban hare coursing (a breakdown shows that 78% of rural dwellers and 76% of urban dwellers are in favour of a ban).
The Cork County Councillors who voted against the motion are clearly not representing the views of the vast majority of their constituents.
Thanks to Green Party Councillors Alan O’Connor and Liam Quaide for presenting the motion and Cllrs Cathal Rasmussen (Labour) and Paul Hayes (Ind) for supporting it.
Shame on the 36 Councillors who rejected the motion.
There are renewed calls on the government to respect the wishes of the majority and finally consign coursing to history. Please join calls for a ban by responding to the action alert below.
ACTION ALERT
Don’t support politicians who support animal cruelty.
Tell Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan to give full protection to the Irish Hare and stop licensing cruel coursing.
Email “Stop all hare coursing, hare hunting and hare shooting NOW” to minister@housing.gov.ie; mos@housing.gov.ie
Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 888 2425 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm
It is time for politicians to consign coursing and hunting 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 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to respect the wishes of the majority and ban hare coursing.
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealmartintd/
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leovaradkar/
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eamondryan/
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryloumcdonaldsf/
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanabacik/
Contact Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs and urge them to pledge support for Paul Murphy TD’s upcoming Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020.
Fianna Fáil TDs
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie
Fine Gael TDs
JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie
Green Party TDs
Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie
Sinn Fein TDs
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie
Labour Party TDs
ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie; sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie
Please sign and share the petitions
Ban Blood Sports in Ireland
https://www.change.org/p/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland
Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing
Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Ban Bloodsports 
Leave a Reply