The Irish Army and the Department of Defence has again shamefully granted permission to foxhunters to hold a hunt at The Curragh military base in County Kildare.
Sickening documents obtained by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports under Freedom of Information show that not only did the the defence forces approve the hosting of the hunt at the Curragh - part of the “Defence Forces Training Centre” - they also conveyed “every success” to the fox hunters.
The Kildare hunt had applied for permission to use the Curragh as a starting point for a fox hunt last month .
Permission was subsequently granted “for use of The Curragh Camp and Curragh Plains by Kildare Hunt Club (approximately 30/40 riders on horseback) for a meet as agreed on 16th November 2021 between the hours of 10.00 hours and 16.30 hours”. The hunt was also granted “access to Ceannt Officers Mess for tea/refreshments between the hours of 10.00 hours and 11.00 hours”.
Ludicrously, given foxhunting’s inherent animal cruelty, one of the Department of Defence’s conditions was that “the highest standards of animal welfare must be observed at all times”.
Other conditions included “payment of a fee of €1 if demanded”, “the Kildare Hunt Club accepts that access to the Military Facility and Curragh Plains is given under the condition that there is no social media coverage”, “Kildare Hunt Club to arrange for a Public Liability Indemnity Insurance policy in the sum of €6,500,000” and “Minister of Defence to be fully indemnified against all actions, suits, expenses, claims and demands whatsoever in respect of accident or injury to persons or damage to property arising in any way from the use of the Department’s land”.
The Minister in question is Simon Coveney who has previously admitted to participating in cruel fox hunting - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SEDI-fYX3Y
In a 2015 Dail debate, as Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney revealed: “I have hunted”. Despite acknowledging that he is “sure” that foxes get pulled apart by packs of hounds during foxhunts, he refused to ban the activity. “When I have hunted, I have never seen a fox being pulled apart,” he said at the time. “I am sure, however, that it happens and I am not saying it does not.” Dismissing appeals to ban foxhunting, he outlined that he and his colleagues were aiming to accommodate those who get their kicks from cruelty. “Our policy decisions try to strike a balance for those who derive great enjoyment from hunting,” he said. This included inserting an exemption into the Animal Health and Welfare Act which gives fox hunters immunity from prosecution for what would otherwise be an offence of animal cruelty.
In its application to the Curragh, a representative of Kildare Hunt wrote: “Please may I apply for permission on behalf of Kildare Hunt Club to host our annual meet in the DFTC [Defence Forces Training Centre] camp on 16 November 2021 at 10.30am. It is a great honour to be allowed to use your wonderful facilities to carry on such a great link between the Kildare Hunt Club and the Defence Forces. If agreeable, we would like to follow the similar timeline to recent previous years. The Kildare Hunt have named the Minister of Defence on it’s [sic] insurance policy. We will forward you a copy of this. Local discussions have already taken place with Commandant Johnny Dicker, DFTC”
In a 11 November 2021 email seen by ICABS, Raymond Myles of the Curragh Property Management Branch of the Department of Defence responded to the fox hunters, saying: “This office hereby gives approval to your request to host Kildare Hunt Club meet [on] Tuesday 16 November 2021...This office wishes the event every success and that the day goes well.”
Foxhunting - a bloodsport which a 77% majority of Irish people want made illegal - involves unleashing a pack of hounds to terrorise foxes across the countryside. Pursued foxes are chased to exhaustion and when they slow down, the pack of dogs catch up, attack them, knock them to the ground, bite into their flesh, disembowel them and tear them apart.
Shame on the army, the Curragh, the Department of Defence and Minister Coveney for facilitating animal cruelty. Their decision to disregard appeals to keep hunters out is an insult to the majority who want foxhunting banned. Please join us in renewing an appeal to them to kick animal cruelty out of the Curragh.
ACTION ALERT
Lodge a complaint with Minister for Defence Simon Coveney and Raymond Myles of the Curragh Property Management Branch. Demand an end to foxhunting at the Curragh.
Simon Coveney TD
Minister for Defence
Iveagh House
80 St Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 408 2000
Email: simon.coveney@oir.ie
Raymond Myles
Curragh Property Management Branch
Email: raymond.myles@defence.ie
Sign and share the petition
Irish Army: Stop allowing cruel foxhunting on your land
https://www.change.org/p/irish-army-stop-allowing-cruel-foxhunting-on-your-land
SEE ALSO
“Kick him. Kick him. Kick him. Kick him” – Disgusting RTE Sports commentary from Tom Freyne (an officer commanding the Irish Army Equitation School and a former joint-master of foxhunts in Kilkenny and Tipperary) https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/08/10/kick-him-kick-him-kick-him-kick-him-disgusting-rte-sport-showjumping-commentary/