Political Focus: Peter Burke TD (Fine Gael, Longford Westmeath) - Deputy Burke voted against a proposed ban on cruel hare coursing, has backed €244 million in state funding for horse and greyhound racing and last year wished the greyhound industry well (three months after the RTE Investigates documentary exposed the horrors of greyhound racing)...
Peter Burke TD and Animal Cruelty Issues
In June 2016, Peter Burke was among the 114 TDs who voted against Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan’s bill which sought to ban cruel hare coursing.
In 2016, 2017 and 2018, voted in favour of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations which granted €80 million/€80 million/€84 million of taxpayers’ money to horse and greyhound racing.
Speaking to a constituent in February 2016, Peter Burke indicated that he supports foxhunting and hare coursing.
When questioned in 2014 about his position on bloodsports, Cllr Peter Burke wasn’t prepared to reveal his stance. He claimed to know nothing about bloodsports, despite previously being furnished with information about the cruelty involved.
On 24 September 2019, Peter Burke TD attended a meeting at which pressure was exerted on Minister Josepha Madigan to reverse a ban on hare coursing that had been put in place due to the deadly and highly contagious RHD2 virus.
At a September 2019 meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, Peter Burke stated: “I’d like to wish the [greyhound] industry well. It is a huge week for it with its derby on Saturday, the pinnacle of the racing calendar. I wish them well with that and hope it is well supported”. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJjqLyJ9y74 His comments came three months after shocking revelations in the “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives” documentary that 6,000 dogs are killed every year because they are not fast enough to win races
ACTION ALERT
Urge Peter Burke TD to reconsider his stance on animal cruelty issues.
Email: peter.burke@oireachtas.ie
Tel: (01) 618 3070 OR (044) 938 5044
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterBurkeTD/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/peterburkefg
Contact Fine Gael and party leader Leo Varadkar and urge them to respect the wishes of the majority of Irish citizens who want hare coursing and foxhunting banned and funding to cruel greyhound racing stopped.
Fine Gael Headquarters
51 Upper Mount Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-619 8444
Email: finegael@finegael.ie
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Sign and share our 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 Industry
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-industry
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports