The Minister for Agriculture has this week said that the primary reason for an upcoming ban on fur farming in Ireland is “animal welfare related” and acknowledged that “certain animals should not be farmed solely for their fur or skin”.
He was responding to a Dail Question from Laois Offaly TD Carol Nolan who shamefully called for a phasing out of fur farming instead of an immediate ban.
The Independent TD asked Minister Charlie McConalogue “the reason his Department is proposing an immediate ban on fur farming rather than the phased-out approach committed to in the current Programme for Government”
She went on to ask “if his attention has been drawn to the dire financial consequences this will create for such farmers”.
In Ireland’s three remaining fur farms - one of which is in Deputy Nolan’s constituency - tens of thousands of minks are caged for their entire lives and at six months of age are pulled out of the cages, thrown into gassing boxes and poisoned to death with Carbon Monoxide.
A RED C opinion poll has confirmed that an 80% majority of Irish citizens want the appalling practice banned.
Responding to Deputy Nolan’s question, Minister McConalogue stated: “Whilst COVID-19 brought about a renewed focus on fur farming, the primary reason for its prohibition is animal welfare related. While fur farming was once legal and socially acceptable in most countries, societal understanding of animal welfare has developed significantly and there is now a broad consensus among veterinary and other scientific experts that certain animals should not be farmed solely for their fur or skin.”
“The current Programme for Government contains a commitment to prohibit fur farming in Ireland and Department officials have been working on appropriate steps to give effect to this,” he added. “A series of meetings with the fur farm operators and their representatives have been held in this regard. There has also been ongoing correspondence and dialogue between the two parties. Draft legislation is currently being prepared by the Department and contains provisions for appropriate compensation under various income loss headings for the small number of operators affected.”
He said that the details of the legislation will be presented before the Oireachtas “in due course”.
Carol Nolan TD has in the past voted against a ban on cruel hare coursing and voted in favour of massive grants to horse and greyhound racing. Last year, she pushed for the lifting of a temporary ban on the shooting of wildlife, farcically claiming that “this ban will negatively impact both the physical and mental health of gun club members”
ACTION ALERT
Urge the Minister for Agriculture to put in place an immediate ban on fur farming.
Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: (01) 618 3199
Email: charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue
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SEE ALSO:
Victims of Ireland's cruel fur farming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=artr7qwCLLk
Mink screaming: Tell Irish Government to shut down fur farms
https://youtu.be/62P0saq6DO0
A retired Irish fur farmer has revealed on the Claire Byrne show on RTE Radio 1 that fur farming was introduced into Ireland by two vets. Later in the show he admitted that he broke the necks of mink with his hands
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3439515122830688&id=463547953760768
Paul Murphy TD asks Agriculture Minister about “plans for banning fur farming”
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3997668440348684
Jennifer Whitmore TD urges Taoiseach to "move immediately to ban fur farming in Ireland”
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1142900706112158/
"We've drafted a bill to ban fur farming in Ireland": Congratulations to Solidarity TDs Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy on their announcement today (12 July 2018)
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1750869355028615/
80 per cent of people in Ireland believe fur farming should be banned, all the main parties (except Fine Gael) now support a ban and Veterinary Ireland have condemned fur farming as cruel - Listen to the Ruth Coppinger TD (Solidarity) interview on RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime today (17 June 2019). https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=194380304848086
The value of fur exports from Ireland has plummeted by over 80 per cent in the past six years, it has emerged https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/2258290974286448