Legislation to ban stag hunting with hounds will be passed despite internal disquiet within Government ranks, Taoiseach Brian Cowen confidently predicted today.
Amid strong criticism of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act from backbench TDs, Mr Cowen said there would be an opportunity to make amendments to change at a later date.
But he added: “I think it’s important to point out that the basic integrity of the Bill will be maintained.”
The reforms, instigated by Minister for the Environment John Gormley, will ban stag hunting with two or more hounds - targeting the 156-year-old Ward Union Hunt in Meath and north Co Dublin.
Mr Gormley is due to introduce a number of amendments to the Bill tomorrow to facilitate deerstalking and hunting wild animals with guns in an attempt to quell disquiet within Fianna Fáil.
Seven Fianna Fáil TDs spoke out against the Bill to ban stag hunting during a Dáil debate last week, with opponents suggesting it was sparking a rural-urban divide.
Independent TD and Government supporter Michael Lowry, reported to be ready to vote against the Bill, is to discuss the issue with Government Chief Whip John Curran tomorrow. Former Fianna Fáil representative Joe Behan is also considering his vote.
Mr Gormley said: “I know that some of the backbenchers have already been in discussions. I think it’s possible to make amendments, and we can get through these two relatively minor pieces of legislation, and we can get back to the major issues that affect people and that’s jobs and the economy.”
Mr Gormley repeatedly said the hunting ban was a relatively minor issue compared to the economy, jobs and the banking crisis.
The proposed legislation is due before the Dáil again tomorrow. It is the first of two animal welfare reforms, with new laws to regulate dog breeding, due in the Dáil on Friday. That debate is expected to spark further divisions in the coalition.
The Ward Union has been in place since the 1850s and keeps a herd of about 150 red deer in a field purely for hunting. Members have included the late taoiseach Charlie Haughey and champion jockey Paul Carberry.
No other hunt will be affected by the ban, and people will be allowed to drive deer off land with dogs if the animals are damaging crops or a plantation.
The Taoiseach said the legislation had been designed to deal specifically with controversial stag hunting with dogs and was not a precursor for other legislation in other areas.
Mr Cowen also said: “I don’t want to raise expectations that there are going to be basic changes. Legislation will be enacted. We have been discussing ways and means of improving the Bill and some of these will be taken on board.”
Campaign group Rise (Rural Ireland Says Enough) claimed today up to eight Fianna Fáil TDs were opposed to the reform but none of them were willing to vote against the Government.
“I’m encouraged that the Greens seem to have developed a line that says, ‘let’s get back to the issue of jobs and the economy’,” spokesman Liam Cahill said.
“If the Bill is defeated it does not mean that they can’t get back to jobs and the economy. It can be defeated, and life can still go on. What would be a compromise though would be if the Minister said, ‘I‘m parking this Bill, I’m going to carry out a full regulatory impact assessment’.”
Mr Cahill said the true cost to the local economy and jobs - and rehousing or the possible destruction of the Ward Union’s 50 hounds and the 180 deer - has never been measured.
A replacement fallen animal scheme, currently looked after across Meath by the Ward Union, would also have to be put in place, he said.
Mr Cahill said the impact assessment was promised when the Cabinet gave approval for the hunting ban.