Irish parliament votes to ban stag hunting and the Ward Union
As of 7pm last night (29 June) Ireland’s only stag hunt — the Ward Union — ceased to have a purpose.
Politicians voted to ban stag hunting in the Republic by the narrow margin of 75 votes to 72.
Spokesman for the Hunting Association of Ireland James Phelan told H&H: “It was so close — we had no idea until half an hour before which way the vote was going to go. It is such a shame for the Wards and a terrible blow for Irish hunting.”
Despite hopes that Fianna Fáil TDs would defy their party to vote against the controversial Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010, only one party member — Tipperary’s Mattie McGrath — voted against the bill.
He has since been expelled from the parliamentary party.
The Irish environment minister, John Gormley of the Green Party, made a last minute amendment to the bill, to preclude deer stalking from the legislation.
The Dáil will vote on a second bill which will affect hunts next week — the legislation to ban puppy farming.
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Mr Phelan said the Dog Breeding Bill will mean all hunts having to microchip their hounds and give local authorities the right to spot-check kennels.
“There will be no standardisation so it could be very easy for a council with an anti-hunting agenda to make draconian requests of a hunt in a bid to put them out of business,” he said.
“But I think the anger surrounding last night’s vote may spur TDs on to vote against it.”
- See H&H edition 8 July for more on this story
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.