The majority of Irish people genuinely care about the fox and abhor the chasing to exhaustion and tearing apart a live animal for "sport" - Read Annette Jorgensen’s letter in the Irish Times and please scroll down for action alert...
Fox-hunting debate
Letter to the Editor, Irish Times, 29 April 2026
Sir, I see Sinn Féin have voted to support a ban on fox-hunting after a heated debate at the party's Ard Fheis last weekend.
The majority of Irish people genuinely care about the fox and abhor the chasing to exhaustion and tearing apart a live animal for "sport".
The often-heard claim that a campaign to ban it is driving a wedge between rural and urban Ireland creates the very division it purports to denounce. It is also insulting to the compassion and empathy of the many people living in rural Ireland who care deeply about animals. Consecutive opinion polls have shown that almost as many people in rural areas want fox-hunting banned.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would do well to take note. This issue is not going to go away.
Amid a cost-of-living crisis, rising fuel costs and lack of housing, less tangible cultural issues are still important to voters from all backgrounds.
Yours, etc,
Annette Jorgensen,
Environmental sociologist,
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim
ACTION ALERT
Help get fox hunting banned in Ireland
Please get in touch with all your local TDs and urge them to pledge support for a ban on cruel fox hunting in Ireland. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/34
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Tell them that you want fox hunting, hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
Keep hunters off your land
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
Sign and share Uplift’s “Ban Fox Hunting” petition
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/petition-to-ban-fox-hunting-in-ireland