A ban on horse racing would be next if hare coursing was to be outlawed, according to an Independent TD.
The Irish Council Against Bloodsports has described coursing as ‘barbaric’, and has called for it to be banned.
The Clonmel based Irish Coursing Club says the vast majority of hares caught last year were released back into the wild.
Powerstown Park in Clonmel plays host to the biggest meeting on the calendar each year with the National Coursing Festival.
Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae believes banning it would lead to calls for other sports to follow suit.
“Remember we have people in Ireland today who actually would condemn people who would go to the races – to horse racing – because they actually think that’s wrong.
“So if we go down the slippery slope of banning hare coursing the next thing they would say is our race courses should close down.”
