Netting licence dilemma for Green minister
Each coursing club affiliated to the Irish Coursing Club is required to have a licence issued by the Department of the Environment before it can legally go out into the countryside to net hares for the new season, which commences today.
However, clubs have been unable to get the required legal paperwork from the department and a number of Government ministers have been besieged with requests for the licences to be issued.
Political sources said the issue of netting licences is causing a major dilemma for Green Minister John Gormley, whose department has responsibility for this area.
The Co Clare Coursing committee at Liscannor said they might be forced to call off their meeting, which is scheduled for early this month.
A club member said: “At this time of year we usually have our licence acquired.”
A well-placed source in the Green Party said last night that this issue might cause huge problems for Mr Gormley, given the party’s opposition to coursing as a bloodsport.
The minister has failed to sign the necessary order in time for the new netting season.
He said: “We expected problems and roadblocks along the way, but this has come like a lightning bolt out of the blue.
