Aontú has become the latest political party to come out in favour of a ban on cruel fur farming.

Responding to a tweet from ICABS, Aontú party leader, Peadar Tóibín, confirmed that he and his party agree with a ban.

“This was agreed unanimously by the Aontú officer board,” Aontú Cathaoirleach Pádraig Ó hEacháin explained, adding “we also hope to have a detailed policy position on animal welfare prepared for our Ard Chomhairle later in the year.”

A big thank you to Peadar Tóibín and Aontú for this positive response.

Other party leaders have previously confirmed to ICABS that they support a ban on fur farming.

Last August, Brendan Howlin TD told us: "The Labour Party recognises that there is widespread public concern about fur farming and the conditions in which otherwise wild animals are kept in this industry. Labour supports a ban on fur farming in Ireland."

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald TD stated: "I can confirm that Sinn Féin passed a motion at an Ard Fheis a number of years ago to ban mink farming. I am therefore happy to confirm that we will be in a position to support the legislation."

Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, meanwhile, has condemned fur farming as “immoral, unethical and wrong”.

Fianna Fáil, Independents 4 Change, People Before Profit and the Social Democrats are also backing a ban.

Attention now returns to Fine Gael - the only remaining party yet to reveal how it will vote on Solidarity’s Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill which is due for debate in the Dail on July 3rd, with a vote the following day.

In 2005, Fine Gael voted in favour of the Green Party's Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill. Fine Gael TDs - including the current Tánaiste Simon Coveney, Richard Bruton, Bernard Durkan, Damien English, Paul Kehoe, Enda Kenny and David Stanton - all gave their support to the proposed legislation (which was defeated by 67 votes to 50).

Next month, we hope Fine Gael will side with the massive 80 per cent majority of citizens who want fur farming ended and once again vote for a long overdue ban

On Ireland's three remaining fur farms, an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 mink are permanently caged and at six months of age, they are pulled squealing from the cages and poisoned to death with Carbon Monoxide gas before the fur is pulled from their bones. Fur farming has been condemned by Veterinary Ireland as cruel.

It is time for Ireland to join the growing list of countries in the EU and around the world which have already banned fur farming.

ACTION ALERT

Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to ban fur farming.

Leo Varadkar TD
Department of the Taoiseach
Merrion Street, Dublin 2
Phone: +353 (0)1-6194000 OR +353 (0)1-6403133
Email: leo.varadkar@oir.ie, finegael@finegael.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leovaradkar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar

Michael Creed TD
Minister for Agriculture
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: michael.creed@oir.ie
Tel: 01-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelcreedtd
Tweet to: @creedcnw

Email “Please vote in favour of a ban on fur farming” to all Fine Gael TDs

maria.bailey@oireachtas.ie; sean.barrett@oireachtas.ie; pat.breen@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; corcorankennedy@eircom.net; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; michael.darcy@oireachtas.ie; Jim.Daly@oireachtas.ie; john.deasy@oireachtas.ie; Pat.Deering@oireachtas.ie; Regina.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; frances.fitzgerald@oir.ie; peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Kyne@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; Tony.McLoughlin@oireachtas.ie; Mary.MitchellOConnor@oireachtas.ie; Dara.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; Eoghan.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; tom.neville@limerick.ie; michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie; kate.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O'Donovan@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; noel@noelrock.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie

Contact Fine Gael TDs individually. Find names, constituencies and contact details at https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/tds/

Please contact all your local TDs and urge them to support Solidarity's bill. Contact details for TDs can be found at https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/32