I am very disappointed that the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, made a decision yesterday to delay further the granting of the licence for coursing for the 2019-20 season, in spite of the fact that the Irish Coursing Club had prepared a very scientific report which clearly showed that there was no danger to the hare population in allowing coursing to commence this season.

There is for the hares.

The RHD2 virus has been present in Irish wildlife since 2016 and there is clear scientific evidence that the disease does not transfer from hare to hare. I, therefore, ask the Tánaiste to request the Minister to grant the licence as quickly as possible to allow coursing to commence this year.

I ask that we expedite a resolution of this matter. It is ironic that one of the first reported sightings of hares with RHD2 was in Wexford, given that an open day on North Slob is being advertised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

I thank Deputies Cahill and O'Keeffe for raising this matter which is of significant interest to a number of Members of the House and many outside it. Deputy Cahill deliberately refuses to acknowledge that the Minister, Deputy Madigan, issued the licence but was subsequently confronted by scientific evidence on the RHD2 virus. Her Department and mine, in terms of the expertise of the veterinary laboratory services in Backweston, have worked with the ICC to find a way to restore a licence at the earliest possible date. It way well be a restricted form of licence which will enable us to monitor the development and transmission of the virus between species.

I can assure the Deputy and, more particularly, the coursing fraternity outside the House that every effort is being made by the Minister, Deputy Madigan, and my Department to bring about a successful resolution of this issue.