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Green Party TD Patrick Costello has asked the Minister for Agriculture to acknowledge that fox hunting codes of practice “do nothing to eliminate the cruelty inherent in the blood sport”.
Deputy Costello's Dail Question of 27 February 2024 was prompted by a response to an earlier question in which Minister Charlie McConalogue was asked to “introduce legislation to ban fox, hare and mink hunting”. Insisting that he “has no plans to change the existing legislation”, the Minister outrageously referred to “voluntary codes of practice established by the Hunting Association of Ireland which detail the conduct to be adhered to in respect of the hunting of foxes and the treatment of the animal during the hunt”.
In reality, these codes do nothing to eliminate the obscene cruelty of fox hunting.
Fox hunters continue to unleash packs of hounds to chase foxes across the countryside. When the foxes become so exhausted from the chase, they slow down, allowing the pack of hounds to close in for the kill.
Foxes caught by the hounds are knocked off their feet, mauled, bitten, eviscerated and pulled apart. When a fox desperately attempts to find refuge underground, hunt terriermen are typically called in. They send terriers down after the fox. The fox is attacked and cornered while the hunters dig the clay away from above. The injured and squealing fox is then pulled out and brutally killed.
Replying to the latest Dail Question from Deputy Costello (Dublin South-Central), Minister McConalogue made more farcical statements in relation to fox hunting.
He laughably made reference to “animal welfare safeguards”, ignoring the fact that fox hunting is inherently cruel from beginning to end and is unquestionably one of Ireland's worst forms of cruelty to animals.
Minister McConalogue repeated that his department “has no plans to change the existing legislation”. This is entirely unacceptable. The vast majority in Ireland want fox hunting banned. A 2019 RED C opinion poll confirmed that 77 per cent favour a ban, with just 12 per cent disagreeing with a ban.
Thank you to Patrick Costello TD for pushing for a ban on hunting with hounds. The Green Party, in government, must demand that a ban is introduced. The party’s Animal Welfare Policy states: “The Green Party is opposed to all bloodsports and we will bring in legislation to end hare coursing, fox hunting, hare hunting and mink hunting”.
SEE ALSO
Ireland – Ban cruel fox hunting
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/10/13/ireland-ban-cruel-fox-hunting/
Green Party TD Patrick Costello calls for ban on fox hunting, hare hunting, mink hunting
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/02/19/green-party-td-patrick-costello-calls-for-ban-on-fox-hunting-hare-hunting-mink-hunting/
Foxes terrorised 'almost non-stop' during 5 hour hunt in Limerick
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/12/14/foxes-terrorised-almost-non-stop-during-5-hour-hunt-in-limerick/
Fox hunted for 45 minutes during shameful hunt in County Wicklow
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/01/31/fox-hunted-for-45-minutes-during-shameful-hunt-in-county-wicklow/
Fox chased around lake during shameful Limerick hunt
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/fox-chased-around-lake-during-shameful-limerick-hunt/
ACTION ALERT
Contact the leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to demand a ban on fox hunting, hare hunting, mink hunting, hare coursing and all bloodsports.
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Eamon Ryan
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
X: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this on our Farmers/Landowners Page – http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm
Witness the cruelty of fox hunting in Ireland
http://www.banbloodsports.com/videos.htm
https://youtu.be/cbLKs9pgQno
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Dail Question and Answer
Patrick Costello: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 260 of 14 February 2024, if he will acknowledge that the fox hunting codes of practice he referred to do nothing to eliminate the cruelty inherent in the blood sport. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2024-02-27/378/
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue: Parliamentary Question No. 260 of 14 February 2024 outlined that, after a detailed debate was held around the general issue of hunting, during the passage of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, the Dail voted overwhelmingly to allow the continuation of fox hunting in accordance with an appropriate Code of Conduct.
In addition to the animal welfare safeguards outlined in my previous response, the Code prohibits the hunting of foxes where the animal is injured and advocates the humane disposal of a fox when captured.
The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (the Act) specifically prohibits the hunting of animals which have been released in an injured, mutilated, or exhausted condition. Where a specific case of animal neglect or cruelty is identified, offences may be prosecuted under the Act.
I am satisfied with the instruments in place and my Department has no plans to change the existing legislation.