In late September a Bill proposing a ban on fur farming in Ireland comes before the Irish parliament. Thanks to intensive lobbying by animal protection groups and members of the public, in Ireland and beyond our shores, four Irish political parties have pledged to support the Bill. However, the largest opposition party, Fianna Fail, has yet to decide its stance on the Bill.

If this party opts to back the Bill its support would result in either 1) the Bill passing because it would have then majority support in parliament or 2) the government, knowing it would lose a vote on the Bill, agreeing to ban fur farming of its own accord. Either outcome would mean the end of fur farming in Ireland.

So, the fate of fur faring largely depends on which way the Fianna Party opts to vote on the Bill in September.

With this in mind, we are appealing for a final push to end fur farming in our country…We are asking you to send a message/letter to ALL Fianna Fail parliamentary party members, requesting that they support the Bill to ban fur farming.

You can do this with one email to a “block” list of addresses (of FF members of parliament) provided below.

Here is a sample letter. You could email this, a variant of it, or compose one yourself.

I urge you and your party to support the upcoming Bill to ban fur farming in Ireland. On Ireland's three remaining fur farms, tens of thousands of mink are permanently caged and at when six months old, they are pulled from the cages and poisoned to death with Carbon Monoxide before the fur is pulled from their bones.

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. The Fianna Fail Party can help to end this hell on earth for animal. Please back the Bill when it comes before Ireland’s parliament.

Thanking you,

Sincerely yours,

Here’s the address list:

shane.cassells@oireachtas.ie, eugene.murphy@oireachtas.ie, escanlonmcc@eircom.net,  john.lahart@oireachtas.ie,  jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie, mary.butler@oireachtas.ie, james.browne@oireachtas.ie, pat.casey@oireachtas.ie, john.curran@oireachtas.ie, bobby.aylward@oireachtas.ie, patthecope.gallagher@oireachtas.ie, timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie, willie.odea@oireachtas.ie, darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie, marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie, stephen.donnelly@oireachtas.ie, thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie, niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie, kevin.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie, margaret.murphyomahony@oireachtas.ie, sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie, jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie, anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie, jack.chambers@outlook.com, jack.chambers@oireachtas.ie, john.brassil@oireachtas.ie, frank.orourke@oireachtas.ie, james.lawless@oireachtas.ie, declan.breathnach@oireachtas.ie, lisa.chambers@oireachtas.ie, aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie, fiona.oloughlin@oireachtas.ie, dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie, barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie, billy.kelleher@oireachtas.ie, brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie, charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie, eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie, john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie, michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie, michael.moynihan@oireachtas.ie, micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie,  niall.collins@oireachtas.ie, robert.troy@oireachtas.ie, sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie, sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie

Thanking you,

John Fitzgerald,

Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports