By Enda Kelly
A poll released in the run-up to Ruth Coppinger TD’s bill to ban the cruel practice of fox hunting found that 72% were in favour of a ban. This result breaks down as 76% in Dublin, 71% in Leinster, 69% in Munster, and 73% in Connaught / Ulster, showing clearly that there is no rural / urban divide, which the fox hunting lobby has tried to claim.
The desire for a ban on fox hunting was evident in the overwhelming public support for the campaign around the bill, in the form of social media posts, emails, and letters to politicians. A range of organisations came together, NARA, ICABS, NPSCA and many wonderful individuals. Because of their efforts – demonstrating, leafleting and a mass social media campaign – it became a national issue and individual TDs were put under immense pressure to nail their colours to the mast.
As would be expected, this led to the usual cavalcade of rural TDs bringing out the usual misinformation about foxes being a threat to lambs. In fact, foxes are responsible for less than 1% of lamb deaths, according to Teagasc.
The Debate
Unfortunately, the vote did not reflect public opinion; the bill was defeated 124-24. The debate itself showcased how out of touch the main political parties are. The Minister for Agriculture didn’t bother defending it, instead talking about not wanting to ban shooting (which the bill didn’t), and Minister of State Michael Healy Rae told the Dáil the many animals he wants to exterminate, including deer and badgers.
However, one of the most disappointing features of the debate was Sinn Féin’s hypocrisy. They were forced to change their reason for opposing the bill from being against a ban on shooting (which the bill did not mention), to not wanting to go against their previous Ard Fheis decision, so their TDs voted against the bill. Reada Cronin TD, who said she is against fox hunting, got up in the debate and complained about this bill causing division on ‘the left’. To be frank, if a party conference can’t agree to ban animal cruelty in the form of a cruel, colonial practice, its claim to be left is surely in serious doubt.
Defending animal rights is not just a nice optional extra, it should be – and is – a principle of the left.
What next
Despite the setback in the vote, this can’t be the end of this campaign. It took multiple bills to get the practices banned in the UK, and there has been real momentum behind this one.
The campaign needs to build from this momentum to put real pressure on the state to end cruel bloodsports. Sinn Féin will more than likely be facing another debate about foxhunting in the North in the next year, as John Blair MLA of Alliance is bringing forward another bill to ban it.
The general public – rural and urban alike – is against this practice, and blood sports in general. This pressure needs to be put on the big parties going forward to drag this state away from these barbaric practices.
