A protest gathered outside Leinster House calling Government to ban hare coursing in Ireland.

This afternoon, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien is expected to decide whether to grant a license for hares to be taken to be used as part of the coursing season, starting in September.

Hare coursing involves the pursuit of hares with greyhounds for training purposes.

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has said that 77% of people want the practice to be banned.

11/07/2023 Dublin Ireland. Treasa McVeigh at a Anti Hare Coursing Protest outside the Dail today. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Outside Leinster House, protesters urged Minister O'Brien to refuse to give the license for the upcoming season.

"It's a shame a country like Ireland hasn't returned from the mediaeval times," one protestor said.

"Why can't we stop all bloodsports?"

11/07/2023 Dublin Ireland. Treasa McVeigh (L) at a Anti Hare Coursing Protest outside the Dail today. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Another protestor said he was advocating for the bar for "conservationist and animal welfare reasons".

"The hare has been in decline – that's the Irish hare – for the past half century, due to habitat loss arising from urbanisation and modern agriculture," he said.

Hare coursing is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), which is a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958.

A recent study carried out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service concluded that hares do not experience a greater risk of death after they've been used in coursing.