Belfast Green Party councillor, Anthony Flynn, is among the latest party representatives to express opposition to a proposed Programme for Government which does not include a pledge to ban bloodsports and end funding for greyhound racing.
In a report in today’s Belfast Telegraph, Cllr Flynn is quoted as stating "I spoke about the lack of action on tackling cruel and inhumane greyhound industry in the Republic of Ireland as well as hare coursing and other animal welfare issues, Brexit and austerity. I cannot support an unjust transition, we can do better."
The Green Party leader in Northern Ireland, Clare Bailey, the deputy leader Cllr Mal O’Hara and North Down MLA Rachel Woods have confirmed that they too will vote against the Programme for Government.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has rejected a call from Clare Bailey to renegotiate the deal.
Last week the Green Party’s Finance Spokesperson, Neasa Hourigan TD, also announced that she will be voting against the proposed Programme for Government and entering coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. As have TDs Francis Duffy and Patrick Costello and Councillors Lorna Bogue (Cork) and Hazel Chu (Dublin).
In a speech delivered at the Green Party Special Convention on voting on the Programme for Government, Deputy Hourigan (Dublin Central) said that there are some wins for the Greens in the Programme for Government but that they “come at an incredible price”.
Referring to animal rights issues, she stated: “We’ve secured extra funds for animal welfare, but signed up to live exports, the fur trade, hare coursing, and greyhound racing.”
She suggested that, in government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail - both of which are not currently in favour of bans on bloodsports - the Greens could be forced to vote against an upcoming bill aimed at banning hare coursing.
“Ultimately everyone who went into these negotiations did so in good faith,” she said. “I hope that, if we do go into government, you the members will have to look back at the end of the five years and be proud, proud of what we did if we have to vote against an opposition bill on hare coursing, if we have to watch the homelessness figures rise…”
Last week, a spokesperson for the Young Greens in Meath also rejected the Programme for Government, pointing to bloodsports as one of the issues it fails to address. Speaking on RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime programme on Tuesday, he said that after examining the Programme for Government document, he is “utterly opposed” to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0xfZRHpJ-Q
“I don’t see the younger members of the party supporting this,” he stated, “It’s silent on some very important issues for a lot of our members,” he told listeners. “It’s silent on, for example, bans on hare coursing or bans on hunting with dogs. It’s silent on key issues and requires us to stand over horrific things that we are opposed to.”
2,627 members of the Green Party registered to receive a vote on the programme for government. Those who have been a member for at least six months will be eligible to cast a vote. To accept the Programme for Government and enter coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, a two-thirds majority of Green Party member votes is required.
The Green Party’s Animal Welfare Policy states: "The Green Party is opposed to all blood sports, and will bring in legislation to end hare coursing, fox hunting, hare hunting and mink hunting...The Green Party seeks to cease the use of state funding for greyhound racing and re-purpose a portion of this budget allocation towards the welfare and re-homing of greyhounds impacted by such a change."
There is no pledge in the Programme for Government to ban hare coursing and foxhunting or end the massive state grants that are keeping greyhound racing afloat.
Now is the time for a ban on bloodsports and an end to greyhound racing. RED C opinion polls show that 77 per cent of Irish citizens want hare coursing banned (just 9 per cent disagree with a ban), 77 per cent want foxhunting banned (just 12 per cent disagree with a ban), while a two thirds majority want the government to stop funding greyhound racing.
ACTION ALERT
Please contact political party leaders and urge them to permanently end hare coursing, fox hunting and greyhound racing.
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088 OR 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Eamon Ryan
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Please sign and share the petitions
Ireland - Ban cruel hare coursing
www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRkXOvbUPNNjMc6LShwiiXBfnDAPbykf
Witness the cruelty of fox hunting in Ireland
http://www.banbloodsports.com/camp-fh.htm
SEE ALSO
Younger members of the Green Party are expected to reject the proposed Programme for Government, with one Young Green representative pointing to the absence of a pledge to ban bloodsports as a major issue.
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3012651072183764
Cruelty to animals is not "Green"
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3009701525812052
GREENS CAPITULATE ON ANIMAL CRUELTY: There is to be no let-up of the horrific abuse meted out to Ireland’s hares and foxes, following weeks of talks between Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green party, with not a mention of bloodsports issues in the Programme for Government https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3002648016517403
The Green Party’s support for a Programme for Government that doesn’t include a pledge to ban cruel hare coursing and live exports was discussed on The Tonight Show on Virgin Media 1 (18 June 2020).
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3012608555521349