So disappointing to see the party whip system in full flow today to ensure that my bill to ban live hare coursing would be defeated. This would have been a good opportunity for the new politics to get into action with a free vote. We continue to be ‘unique’ in an appalling way of being one of the 3 countries in Europe who allow this cruelty.
There were 20 votes in favour of the ban and I thank the 20 members for their support. I am appalled at the statements from F.F. and S.F. regarding animal welfare. My question to them is how do they answer the documented proof from the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the wanton cruelty to the animals, to both hares and greyhounds but especially to the hares.
I have been completely overwhelmed by the amount of e-mails, calls, facebook messages and even letters from people in support of the bill, especially people from rural Ireland who are totally opposed to live hare coursing and totally against the narrative being put forward that this is part of ‘the rural way of life’! It was great to see the protest outside the Dáil today (photo above) while the bill was being voted on, I thank all those who attended (and the amount of support from those who were driving passed was very unexpected!) I am also heartened by those T.D’s who have told me privately that they would have liked to support the bill – there will be another time and we will succeed in getting a ban on live hare coursing, a practice that sees the hares terrorised, mauled, tossed in the air, bones broken and put down.
Question put:
| Tá | Níl |
| Barry, Mick. Boyd Barrett, Richard. Broughan, Thomas P. Collins, Joan. Connolly, Catherine. Coppinger, Ruth. Daly, Clare. Donnelly, Stephen S. Halligan, John. Kenny, Gino. McGrath, Finian. Martin, Catherine. Murphy, Catherine. Murphy, Paul. O’Sullivan, Maureen. Ross, Shane. Ryan, Eamon. Shortall, Róisín. Smith, Bríd. Wallace, Mick. |
Adams, Gerry. Aylward, Bobby. Bailey, Maria. Barrett, Seán. Brassil, John. Breathnach, Declan. Breen, Pat. Brophy, Colm. Browne, James. Bruton, Richard. Buckley, Pat. Burke, Peter. Burton, Joan. Butler, Mary. Byrne, Catherine. Byrne, Thomas. Cahill, Jackie. Calleary, Dara. Canney, Seán. Cannon, Ciarán. Carey, Joe. Casey, Pat. Cassells, Shane. Chambers, Jack. Chambers, Lisa. Collins, Michael. Collins, Niall. Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella. Coveney, Simon. Cowen, Barry. Cullinane, David. Curran, John. Daly, Jim. D’Arcy, Michael. Deasy, John. Deering, Pat. Doherty, Pearse. Doherty, Regina. Donohoe, Paschal. Dooley, Timmy. Doyle, Andrew. Durkan, Bernard J. English, Damien. Ferris, Martin. Fitzgerald, Frances. Fitzmaurice, Michael. Fitzpatrick, Peter. Flanagan, Charles. Fleming, Sean. Griffin, Brendan. Harris, Simon. Harty, Michael. Haughey, Seán. Healy, Seamus. Healy-Rae, Danny. Healy-Rae, Michael. Heydon, Martin. Howlin, Brendan. Kehoe, Paul. Kenny, Enda. Kenny, Martin. Kyne, Seán. Lahart, John. Lowry, Michael. MacSharry, Marc. McDonald, Mary Lou. McEntee, Helen. McGrath, Mattie. McGrath, Michael. McGuinness, John. McLoughlin, Tony. Madigan, Josepha. Martin, Micheál. Mitchell O’Connor, Mary. Mitchell, Denise. Moran, Kevin Boxer. Moynihan, Michael. Munster, Imelda. Murphy O’Mahony, Margaret. Murphy, Dara. Murphy, Eoghan. Murphy, Eugene. Naughten, Denis. Naughton, Hildegarde. Neville, Tom. Nolan, Carol. Noonan, Michael. Ó Cuív, Éamon. Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh. Ó Snodaigh, Aengus. O’Callaghan, Jim. O’Connell, Kate. O’Dea, Willie. O’Donovan, Patrick. O’Dowd, Fergus. O’Keeffe, Kevin. O’Loughlin, Fiona. O’Reilly, Louise. O’Rourke, Frank. Penrose, Willie. Phelan, John Paul. Quinlivan, Maurice. Rabbitte, Anne. Ring, Michael. Rock, Noel. Ryan, Brendan. Scanlon, Eamon. Sherlock, Sean. Smith, Brendan. Stanley, Brian. Stanton, David. Tóibín, Peadar. Troy, Robert. Varadkar, Leo. |
14 Comments
Paul K
The list of shame on the “Níl” side. Those TDs will rue this day.
I’m looking forward to the next election already when those cretins will be kicked out of the office.
Well done Maureen, you are the moral winner.
mary foley
how could they ignore wanton cruelty ?i will remember them in the next election ,thank you Maureen and the 19 who supported you
Séamas Carraher
Beyond comprehension – the list of those blind to a small creature’s suffering. I have a tremendous urge right now to get the **** out of here, if this is the quality of our ‘leadership’.
To those that voted “Tá” – well done and, one day, the numbers, must surely be reversed…
Kay Murphy Cahill
Shame on those who voted against!
ellen.cranitch@gmail.com
Well done Maureen, a fight well fought. Steadfast and true.
Catherine Martin
I am ashamed to be a voter in Cork South Central. Not one vote to bad this cruelty. Why am I not surprised Thank you Maureen for trying and continuing to try. Bless you
Joe Harrington
From the Journal last year….. SINN FÉIN REPRESENTATIVES in North Kerry have been accused of promoting animal cruelty after wishing a hare coursing group “the best of luck”.
The ad had been taken out in a programme for an event which features the Listowel coursing club.
The ad is signed from the Sinn Féin team in North Kerry: TD Martin Ferris and councillors Robert Beasley and Dianne Nolan.
The ad’s content has been slammed by both the Irish Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS) and the Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (CACS).
A statement from CACS said it was “disgraceful that in 2015 any public representative would convey a good luck message to those involved in terrorising, injuring and killing Irish wildlife”.
The ICABS said that the ad was “appalling”.
“It quite appalling that in 2015 any public representative would convey a good luck message to those involved in the terrorising of this most timid and vulnerable wild animal for such a sick “sport”.”
Ferris told TheJournal.ie that the ad was consistent with the party’s stance on coursing.
Kathleen Irwin
I am shocked our government agree with this Shame on you and you talk about Animal Welfare There is no animal welfare in Ireland.
Rachel Connolly
Thank you so much Maureen for all your hard work on behalf of our majestic hares.
Unfortunately yet another day I am ashamed to be Irish. These days are becoming more and more frequent.
Roseanne
First time in history I am ever ashamed of my Country.. Coming from the most Irish Republican you will ever meet.. Sad day to be a SF support too..
Marisa Mackle
Well done for trying Maureen. I am absolutely sickened by this. I will be emailing my local TDs to let them know how appalled I am.
Paul
Obscene and disgusting pastime. Only sub humans could be in favour of something so barbaric.
Elena Duff
Maureen – many of the TDs voting for these bills take part in this sport. Is there any legal basis to disallow TDs with vested interests from voting? (TDs who are landlords blocking rent caps comes to mind as well)
I was reading that the EU only concerns themselves with animal cruelty when it’s to do with trade, i.e. farm animals, is there any way we can change this, so that there is an EU-wide consensus on animal cruelty, otherwise our politicians will never ban this. Our record for animal cruelty here is an embarrassment. The judges allowing people lenient sentences needs addressing too. Such as this only one out of many examples.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/man-avoids-jail-after-violently-killing-dog-in-public-park-1.2299771
Thanks for trying anyway, one of the few sane voices among a bloodthirsty lot.
Maureen
Elena; Ireland is one of only 3 hotels in Europe to allow live hare coursing.
I think every vote we have there are T.D’s with ‘vested interests’.