18 Sinn Fein Councillors voted against a “Ban Hunting” motion at a meeting of Belfast City Council on Monday (10 Jan 2022). Sinn Fein was the only party to oppose the motion which called for a ban on hunting animals with dogs, including cruel fox hunting, deer hunting and hare hunting.

The vote by Sinn Fein Councillors comes a month after Sinn Fein MLAs voted against a bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly which aimed to secure a long overdue ban on hunting with hounds.

Despite Sinn Fein’s mass vote against the Belfast City Council motion, it successfully passed with a large majority, after 34 Councillors voted in favour of it.

The motion from Alliance Party Councillors Peter McReynolds and Nuala McAllister stated:

“This Council notes the widespread support across Belfast for the ending of animal cruelty and the improvement of animal welfare; expresses disappointment at the lack of legislative progression on banning the hunting of mammals with dogs in the Northern Ireland Assembly; reaffirms our support for ending this barbaric practice; and agrees to write to DAERA and the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Affairs to show our support for ending the practice of hunting for mammals with dogs.”

Sinn Fein Councillors refused to back the motion despite party president Mary Lou McDonald TD assuring the Irish Council Against Blood Sports in 2020 that “Sinn Fein is opposed to foxhunting and will vote in favour of a ban at the next opportunity”.

The party’s MLAs were reminded of this before they went on to vote against the Alliance Party bill in December. Sinn Fein’s vote against the bill ensured that it did not progress. There are growing calls on the party to respect the wishes of the majority of citizens who want bloodsports banned.

The Alliance Party - https://allianceparty.org - has confirmed this week that it is "preparing to resubmit similar legislation [to ban hunting with hounds] in the next Assembly term" and emphasised that "we will not give up on making this ban a reality in Northern Ireland." Please join us in urging Sinn Fein MLAs to vote in favour of the new bill - see action alert below.

Thank you to Alliance Party Councillors Peter McReynolds and Nuala McAllister for submitting the motion and to all the Councillors who voted in favour of it.

Watch a video of Council members discussion the motion and casting votes
https://belfastcity.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/633347 (forward to 01.29.14)

The Sinn Fein Councillors who voted against the motion

Councillor Daniel Baker
Councillor Ciaran Beattie
Councillor Christina Black
Councillor Nichola Bradley
Councillor Claire Canavan
Councillor Arder Carson
Councillor Steven Corr
Councillor Micheal Donnelly
Councillor Matt Garrett
Councillor John Gormley
Councillor JJ Magee
Councillor Stephen Magennis
Councillor Conor Maskey
Councillor Geraldine McAteer
Councillor Áine McCabe
Councillor Ronan McLaughlin
Councillor Ryan Murphy
Councillor Séanna Walsh

ACTION ALERT

Contact Mary Lou McDonald TD and ask why, despite an assurance that her party is “opposed to foxhunting” and would “vote in favour of a ban at the next opportunity”, Sinn Fein MLAs and Councillors failed to back a ban.

Mary Lou McDonald TD
President, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Sinn Féin Head Office
44 Cearnóg Pharnell
Dublin 1, Ireland
Phone: 01 8726100
Email: admin@sinnfein.ie

Contact Sinn Fein MLAs and appeal to them to pledge support for a ban on hunting with dogs.

Email addresses for Sinn Fein MLAs

martina.anderson@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; caoimhe.archibald@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; cathal.boylan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; nicolabrogan.sfmla@gmail.com; linda.dillon@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; jemma.dolan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; sinead.ennis@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; orlaithi.flynn@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; colm.gildernew@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; deirdre.hargey@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; declan.kearney@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; gerry.kelly@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; liz.kimmins@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; sean.lynch@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; alex.maskey@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; declan.mcaleer@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; fra.mccann@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; philip.mcguigan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; maoliosa.mchugh@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; karen.mullan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; conor.murphy@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; caral.nichuilin@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; john.odowd@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; michelle.oneill@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; emma.rogan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; pat.sheehan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk; emma.sheerin@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

Find out more contact details at
http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/search.aspx

Please sign and share the petitions

Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing

Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

SEE ALSO

Belfast City Councillors pass motion calling for end to cruel fox hunting
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/4691780614270793

Sinn Fein vote ensures foxhunt cruelty to continue in Northern Ireland
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/12/07/sinn-fein-vote-ensures-foxhunt-cruelty-to-continue-in-northern-ireland/

“Sinn Féin is opposed to foxhunting” and will “vote in favour of a ban”
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/02/04/sinn-fein-is-opposed-to-foxhunting-and-will-vote-in-favour-of-a-ban/

Sinn Féin support for a ban on cruel bloodsports https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/10/17/sinn-fein-support-for-a-ban-on-cruel-bloodsports/