Derry City and Strabane District Council has passed a motion calling for an end to animal cruelty, including hunting with dogs.
The successful motion, presented by Alliance Party Councillor Rachael Ferguson and seconded by Cllr Shauna Cusack (SDLP), was passed with 22 votes in favour, 11 against and 7 abstentions.
Along with the Alliance Party and SDLP, the motion was supported by councillors from People Before Profit, UUP, Aontu and Independents.
The motion stated: “This Council notes the widespread support across Derry City and Strabane District 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 Northern Ireland Assembly. Furthermore, this Council 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.”
The only party to shamefully vote against the motion was Sinn Fein, with 11 of its councillors rejecting it. It’s the third time in three months that Sinn Fein has opposed a ban on hunting. In January, Sinn Fein Councillors on Belfast City Council voted against a similar motion. In December, its MLAs blocked legislation in the Northern Ireland Assembly which would have outlawed fox hunting. This despite an assurance in 2020 from party president Mary Lou McDonald TD that the party is opposed to foxhunting and would vote in favour of a ban at the next opportunity.
Introducing the motion at the 24 February 2022 meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Rachael Ferguson (Alliance Party) stated: “A ban on hunting with dogs in Northern Ireland is long overdue. I strongly believe that animals being ripped to shreds by a pack of dogs for human enjoyment cannot be considered a sport.”
She noted the overwhelming public support for a ban on hunting, saying “I have had many people coming to me looking for this ban...The public do not support this type of hunting, they support a ban.”
Cllr Shauna Cusack said that she has “never understood the thrill or pleasure anyone could get from a sport or practice which involves abusing or killing animals for entertainment”, adding “they are sentient beings - we should be fighting to protect them and not protecting those fighting them.”
She told the meeting that she and her SDLP colleagues were shocked that John Blair MLA’s Bill which sought to secure a ban on hunting with hounds in Northern Ireland failed to progress in the Assembly in December.
“As an animal lover myself, I was asked by some constituents why other parties such as Sinn Fein and some in the DUP, with the notable exception of the late Christopher Stalford, had voted against this legislation which essentially would have protected against cruel practices such as hunting and fox hunting. I couldn’t explain their reason,” she stated.
Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly also spoke out against hunting with hounds. “This isn’t sport,” he commented. “This is a disgusting and sadistic practice.”
People Before Profit Councillor Maeve O’Neill echoed this, pointing out that “everybody was in disbelief that this legislation wasn’t passed [in the Assembly].”
She condemned hunting with hounds as “barbaric and inhumane” practice and emphasised that it is “really not sport”.
“It’s despicable to enjoy and facilitate the suffering of another creature,” she continued. “Sometimes we find that people who don’t have that compassion for animals tend to not have that compassion for humans either. It’s shocking that we don’t have this legislation here. There’s far too much animal cruelty that exists in our society. Far, far too much. It’s really awful.”
She said that if the legislation to ban hunting had been passed, it “would have sent a strong message to society as a whole that it is not acceptable”.
“But it didn’t pass and we are seeing the consequences of it this week,” she added, referring to a Labrador recently attacked by hunting hounds in Derry.
During his speech, Cllr Philip McKinney (Alliance Party) highlighted the cruelty of hare coursing, a bloodsport already banned in Northern Ireland.
“I remember many, many, many years ago going to Ballymena to protest about live hare coursing,” he recalled. “It was disgusting basically. Greyhounds chasing live hares. A hare is a beautiful animal and is very unique to Ireland. I just couldn’t believe it. I find it totally barbaric and disgusting.”
The DUP (6 councillors) along with a single UUP councillor abstained in the vote.
DUP Councillor Keith Kerrigan commented that “the improvement of animal welfare, I have no problem at all with that and any right-minded person would be along those lines as well”. He went on to say that although he has “no issue with foxes being shot”, he “wouldn’t be a fan of the people out hunting badgers or dogs pulling foxes apart.”
Before 11 Sinn Fein Councillors voted AGAINST the motion, the party’s Cllr Paul Fleming claimed that “Sinn Fein is opposed to the unnecessary infliction of cruelty to animals”, ignoring the fact that hunting with hounds is inherently cruel and causes the infliction of terrible suffering on foxes, hares, deer and other creatures.
“We understand the importance for many in rural communities of traditional rural activities like hunting,” Cllr Fleming stated. “We believe the regulation of hunting of wild animals is the best approach rather than an outright ban.”
Sinn Fein stance is an insult to the vast majority who want that outright ban. A Survation opinion poll commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports found that a majority in Northern Ireland are in favour of a ban. The poll showed that 83% want deer hunting with dogs banned and 76% want fox hunting and hare hunting banned. In the Republic of Ireland, a RED C poll showed that 77% want fox hunting banned, with just 12% disagreeing with a ban.
Thank you to Councillor Rachael Ferguson and the 21 other councillors who voted in favour of the motion. Shame on those who disregarded the appalling cruelty involved in hunting and voted against the motion. Scroll down to find out how individual councillors voted.
Watch a recording of the council meeting online at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJKpeFzhjw8
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 have 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
SEE ALSO:
18 Sinn Féin Belfast City Councillors vote AGAINST “Ban Hunting” motion
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/01/12/18-sinn-fein-belfast-city-councillors-vote-against-ban-hunting-motion/
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/
HOW COUNCILLORS VOTED
Voted FOR the motion
Rachael Ferguson (Alliance Party)
Philip McKinney (Alliance Party)
Jason Barr (SDLP)
John Boyle (SDLP)
Shauna Cusack (SDLP)
Angela Dobbins (SDLP)
Steven Edwards (SDLP)
Rory Farrell (SDLP)
Sean Mooney (SDLP)
Martin Reilly (SDLP)
Lilian Seenoi-Barr (SDLP)
Brian Tierney (SDLP)
Darren Guy (UUP)
Ryan McCready (UUP)
Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit)
Maeve O'Neill (People Before Profit)
Emmet Doyle (AONTU)
Raymond Bar (Independent)
Sean Carr (Independent)
Gary Donnelly (Independent)
Paul Gallagher (Independent)
Jim McKeever (Independent)
Voted AGAINST the motion
Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin)
Sandra Duffy (Sinn Féin)
Paul Fleming (Sinn Féin)
Conor Heaney (Sinn Féin)
Christopher Jackson (Sinn Féin)
Dan Kelly (Sinn Féin)
Patricia Logue (Sinn Féin)
Kieran Maguire (Sinn Féin)
Ruairi Mc Hugh (Sinn Féin)
Emma McGinley (Sinn Féin)
John McGowan (Sinn Féin)
ABSTAINED
Allan Bresland (DUP)
Maurice Devenney (DUP)
Keith Kerrigan (DUP)
Hilary McClintock (DUP)
David Ramsey (DUP)
Graham Warke (DUP)
Derek Hussey (UUP)