Captive mink on Ireland's fur farms are denied their dignity and freedom and "exhibit many behaviours synonymous with stress until they are dragged from their cages in terror and forced into darkened gassing boxes where they are poisoned to death" - Pick up a copy of this week's RTE Guide for an interview with Fair City actor and vegan animal rights activist Rachel Pilkington.

The RTE Guide's cover story outlines how Rachel has been campaigning for an end to fur farming for several years, and five years ago started a petition to raise awareness about the suffering of the animals - "her mission was to get as many high-profile Irish people to sign in support; to date, she has 400 people on board the campaign, including Saoirse Ronan, Ruth Negga, Jim Sheridan, Lenny Abrahamson, Deirdre O'Kane, Jennifer Zamparelli...the impressive list goes on."

Ahead of an announcement today that the government is moving to ban fur farming, TDs and Ministers were made aware of this major support for a ban.

Speaking about additional positives that a ban can bring, Rachel highlights the case of a fur farm in Scotland: "It closed down when it was banned and started up as a fruit farm and they now employ more people than they did for their fur farm. So, it just goes to show that you can spend your time looking at what was lost rather than looking at what could be gained."

Rachel also talks about her namesake - renowned American marine biologist, Rachel Carson.

"She is regarded as the mother of the modern environmental movement," she says. "She spoke about the indiscriminate use of pesticides, and the great harm we are causing all natural systems and how several decades down the line, there would be catastrophic results. She was absolutely right. She really was someone ahead of her time and I am delighted to be named after her."

The RTE Guide is available now at all good newsagents.