Cabinet approves contentious Bill to ban stag hunting

THE CABINET has approved the Bill to ban stag hunting, as some rural Fianna Fáil backbenchers claimed Green leader John Gormley “snubbed” their concerns about proposed dog-breeding and planning legislation.

Mr Gormley’s spokesman said the ban, enshrined in the Wildlife Amendment Bill 2010 which will make hunting deer with a pack of hounds an offence, was “as much on the grounds of public safety as it is on the grounds of animal welfare”.

A meeting between Mr Gormley and members of Fianna Fáil’s environmental policy group, scheduled for yesterday, did not take place and has been rescheduled for noon today.

Fianna Fáil representatives gathered in the party’s rooms in the afternoon hoping to speak to Mr Gormley about the Green-sponsored Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 and the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009, which have created difficulties within the Coalition.

Some knew beforehand that Mr Gormley would not attend, while others found out when they arrived at the meeting.

Mr Gormley’s spokesman said the Minister wanted two officials to be in attendance, but did not believe it was correct to bring them to the Fianna Fáil party rooms.

Mr Gormley is understood to have offered to meet a small Fianna Fáil delegation in his own office but this offer was refused.

His spokesman said he had set time aside on one of the busiest days of the year, which was dominated by developments relating to the National Asset Management Agency. The rescheduled meeting will take place in a meeting room in Leinster House.

Carlow-Kilkenny TD Bobby Aylward chaired the meeting in the absence of Limerick West TD John Cregan.

His constituency colleagues MJ Nolan and John McGuinness also attended, along with Tipperary North TD Máire Hoctor, Tipperary South deputy Mattie McGrath, Cork North-Central’s Noel O’Flynn, Cork South-West TD Christy O’Sullivan, Brendan Kenneally of Waterford, Laois-Offaly’s Seán Fleming and, briefly, Senator John Carty from Co Mayo. Others sent apologies.

Mr O’Sullivan said: “I’m absolutely disappointed that he didn’t come to meet the parliamentary party grouping . . . he snubbed us in this way.”

Mr McGrath also expressed his disappointment. “We weren’t going to belittle ourselves by going down to him. . . He’s been in before and we treated him civilly.”

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting is also scheduled for today at 2.30pm. However, Mr McGuinness is thought unlikely to get support for his call for Taoiseach Brian Cowen to step down.