Labour urged to support stag hunting ban

ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP:THE IRISH Animal Welfare Forum (IAWF) has repeated its appeal to the Labour Party to support tonight's Dáil vote banning stag hunting.

Spokeswoman Nuala Donlon said yesterday that while the party had engaged in double-speak on the issue, it could still do the right thing and help ban the hunting of farmed deer with hounds.

She said Labour TD Joe Costello had reiterated the party’s opposition to stag hunting on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics.

“We urge him, and the other members of the Dáil who are on record as being opposed to blood sports, to reconsider their position, even at this late stage,” she said. “If Labour is unable to actually vote for the Bill, then we would appeal to individual members to abstain and offset possible defections on the Fianna Fáil back benches.”

Mr Costello said yesterday he remained opposed to blood sports, but would be voting with his party against the the Bill because it was a bad piece of legislation.

It related to one activity in one county and was no more than a “fig leaf” for the Green Party.

“There was a total failure to consult with anybody and discuss the issues involved, including the jobs at risk.”

Defending John Gormley’s Wildlife (Amendment) Bill yesterday, Galway-based Green Party member Seamus Sheridan accused the media of portraying a line that “this was the thin end of the wedge and that the Minister would ban fishing and shooting”.

He added that he had been fishing on Sunday morning with his five-year-old son.

The Rural Ireland Says Enough! (Rise!) group has said it will endorse every TD who votes against the ban at the next general election.

This included Fianna Fáil TDs who defied the party whip, Independent TDs and Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin TDs who had confirmed they were opposing the legislation.

A spokesman claimed they had well over 50,000 people who had registered their support by signing a petition and they were concentrated in large numbers in 33 constituencies outside Dublin city.