A RESOLUTION demanding legislation to ban blood sports was not put to a vote when the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, proposed an amendment calling on the Minister of State at his Department, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, to institute a "comprehensive review of all aspects" of the issue. This was passed.
It was clear that if the original motion had been put to a vote it would have been defeated - judging from the enthusiastic response to a Co Clare delegate, Mr Tom Harvey. He was loudly applauded when he pleaded for a continuation of the status quo.
"Do not destroy the traditions of our rural community," he said. To those opposed to hare coursing, he said: "Let them go back to their couch potato attitude."
Mr Yates said it was obvious the issue was going to be controversial. It arose during a debate on agriculture when the Minister also referred to recent controversy surrounding the beef industry.
"Real damage has been done to our reputation because of malpractice and maladministration. Make no mistake, Fine Gael will eradicate these practices without fear of favour to anybody."
The future of family farms was dependent on the development of consumer food products rather than a dependence of export subsidies, intervention and political supports.
The first ever national food development strategy, with an investment of £640 million, put product development and marketing at the top of the agenda, he said.
The strategy was a partnership approach between the Government, key State agencies and more than 300 food companies. It set a target of expanding food output by 25 per cent to a total of £12 billion by the turn of the century and the creation of 5,000 additional jobs.
Mr Yates said he was committed to ensuring a balance between live cattle and beef exports. As a result of decisive action he had taken new EU welfare regulations had been introduced governing exports of live animals within the EU and he had introduced our own national welfare regulations governing exports of animals to countries outside the EU.