MINISTER'S VIEW:MINISTER FOR the Environment John Gormley is "confident" that legislation to ban stag hunting will be passed by the Dáil tonight, despite last-minute lobbying of Fianna Fáil and Independent TDs.
Speaking during a visit to Co Carlow yesterday he accused pro-hunting activists of spreading “lies and misrepresentation” and insisted that the Government had no plans to outlaw other rural pursuits such as fishing and shooting.
“There has been a lot of misleading statements made by opponents of this legislation and, you know, to say that somehow this is the thin end of the wedge or that we’re going to have legislation dealing with fishing or shooting – this is nonsense, absolute nonsense,” Mr Gormley said.
“And I think people in the Dáil know that. And therefore, I am confident that – because it’s part of the renewed programme for government – that it will go through.”
Mr Gormley and his deputy party leader, Minister of State Mary White, were booed and jeered by members of the Rural Ireland Says Enough! (Rise!) campaign group as they attended the opening of a new library in Ms White’s home town of Borris. During heated exchanges, protesters waved placards and shouted at Mr Gormley that he had been “telling lies”.
Eggs were placed on the bonnet and in the interior of his State car though none were thrown. Gardaí removed Rise! stickers which protesters attached to the car.
Mr Gormley described the protesters’ behaviour as “malicious” and “unacceptable”. He expressed confidence that the Dáil would support the “minor piece of legislation” which will outlaw the hunting with hounds of carted red deer, which affects only one hunt – the Meath-based Ward Union.
Pro-hunting activists had claimed that the Bill also banned the “use of two or more dogs while hunting deer with rifles”. However, Mr Gormley said he had “listened to concerns“ and was amending the Bill to allow deer stalking to continue.
“You must remember that deer stalking is deer shooting and that we have given out more licences, in fact, for deer shooting than any previous administration.”
Commenting on reports that the Independent TD for Tipperary North, Michael Lowry, might not vote for the legislation, Mr Gormley said: “I haven’t actually spoken to Michael Lowry – I understand he’s in discussions at the moment with the chief whip but of course deputies have every right to be given assurances and to seek information on any piece of legislation.”
The Fianna Fáil backbench TD Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny) said Fianna Fáil deputies “would not risk bringing down the Government over stag hunting”. But Mr Aylward said he still has reservations about the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill which is due for a Dáil vote next week.
Rise! protesters said the Minister had “promised” to exclude hunt kennels from the planned new legislation designed to outlaw “puppy farms” but has “reneged” on this commitment.
However, Mr Gormley claimed he had agreed to exclude hunt kennels from paying the planned new fees but had never intended to exempt hunt kennels from the proposed new inspection system.
Asked would the greyhound industry be excluded from the Bill, Mr Gormley said: “No. What we’ve said very clearly is that there will be a review clause to see if there is any detrimental effect on any – I mean as far as I’m concerned – on any industry and the greyhound industry is a very important industry for this country.
“I am very confident that this is a piece of legislation to regulate dog breeding establishments which have a very bad record and a very bad reputation unfortunately and that comes from a minority of people who run bad establishments.”