Among the candidates in this week’s Northern Ireland Assembly election are individuals who voted AGAINST a ban on some of Northern Ireland’s worst acts of animal cruelty - fox hunting, deer hunting, hare hunting and terrierwork.

In December 2021, the following MLAs all voted against John Blair MLA’s “Hunting of Wild Mammals Bill” which aimed to outlaw all forms of hunting wild animals with dogs. The bill was narrowly defeated with 38 voting in favour and 45 voting against (25 Sinn Fein MLAs, 19 DUP MLAs and TUV MLA Jim Allister). With the DUP allowing a free vote, some of its MLAs voted in favour of the bill, including three Assembly election candidates - see below.

DUP Assembly election candidates who voted AGAINST a ban

Maurice Bradley (East Londonderry)
Keith Buchanan (Mid Ulster)
Thomas Buchanan (West Tyrone)
Jonathan Buckley (Upper Bann)
Trevor Clarke (South Antrim)
Diane Dodds (Upper Bann)
Stephen Dunne (North Down)
Paul Frew (North Antrim)
Paul Givan MLA (Lagan Valley)
Harry Harvey (Strangford)
David Hilditch (East Antrim)
William Irwin (Newry and Armagh)
Gordon Lyons (East Antrim)
Michelle McIlveen (Strangford)
Gary Middleton (Foyle)
Edwin Poots (Belfast South)
Mervyn Storey (North Antrim)

DUP Assembly election candidates who voted in favour of a ban: Joanne Bunting, Pam Cameron, Peter Weir

Sinn Fein Assembly election candidates who voted AGAINST a ban

Carál Ní Chuilín (Belfast North)
Gerry Kelly (Belfast North)
Deirdre Hargey (Belfast South)
Aisling Reilly (Belfast West)
Órlaithí Flynn (Belfast West)
Pat Sheehan (Belfast West)
Caoimhe Archibald (East Londonderry)
Áine Murphy (Fermanagh and South Tyrone)
Colm Gildernew (Fermanagh and South Tyrone)
Jemma Dolan (Fermanagh and South Tyrone)
Ciara Ferguson (Foyle)
Pádraig Delargy (Foyle)
Linda Dillon (Mid Ulster)
Michelle O’Neill (Mid Ulster)
Emma Sheerin (Mid Ulster)
Cathal Boylan (Newry and Armagh)
Conor Murphy (Newry and Armagh)
Liz Kimmins (Newry and Armagh)
Philip McGuigan (North Antrim)
Declan Kearney (South Antrim)
Sinéad Ennis (South Down)
John O’Dowd (Upper Bann)
Maolíosa McHugh (West Tyrone)
Nicola Brogan (West Tyrone)

Sinn Fein agriculture spokesperson Declan McAleer MLA (West Tyrone) – who did not register a vote – made it clear during a debate on the bill that he and the party are against a ban. He stated: “Sinn Féin do not agree with a ban on hunting” https://youtube.com/watch?v=LPFnFbgfBSw&t=807s In a further statement, he added: “Our party position – north and south – is that regulation, not a ban, is the best approach.”

Another Sinn Fein candidate who is against a ban on hunting is Cllr Daniel Baker. At a meeting of Belfast City Council in January 2022, he voted against a successful motion which called for a ban on the hunting of wild mammals with dogs. The motion 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.”

Also voting against a ban was Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim).

Find out the views of other candidates at
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/02/10/ae22/

On Thursday, 5 May 2022, please vote for animal-friendly candidates and reject those who support animal cruelty.