Wildlife Bill

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Government wins Wildlife Bill vote

MARIE O'HALLORAN AND MICHAEL O'REGAN

The Government has won tonight’s Dáil vote banning stag hunting by 75-72 despite uncertainty over the intentions of a small number of Fianna Fáil deputies.

Fianna Fáil Tipperary backbencher Mattie McGrath was the sole Government dissident in voting against the Bill to ban stag hunting as the legislation was passed this evening.

Mr McGrath and party colleague Christy O’Sullivan of Cork South West were both absent from the Dáil chamber when the second stage or introductory debate on the legislation was voted on an hour earlier, but the Government won by 73 to 69.

All other Fianna Fáil TDs, including Meath East backbencher Mary Wallace, voted for the legislation despite speaking out against it during the debate.

Members of Rise! (Rural Ireland Says Enough) packed the gallery for the debate and watched as Fine Gael chief whip Paul Kehoe called for a walk-through vote, whereby TDs have to pass through the "Tá" and "Níl" lobbies, after the electronic vote. In the walk through vote Mr McGrath abstained and the result was 75 votes to 71.

Mr Kehoe asked if the walk through superseded the electronic vote, but the issue was not clarified.

Mr McGrath and Mr O’Sullivan were surrounded by party colleagues before the final vote was taken on the controversial Wildlife (Amendment) Act, in a bid to persuade them to vote with the Government.

Mr O’Sullivan did vote for the legislation, but Mr McGrath voted against and loses the party whip and is no longer a member of the parliamentary party.

During the committee stage Minister for the Environment John Gormley again criticised the Labour party’s opposition to the Bill, accusing them of a U-turn and hypocrisy. He pointed to the absence of Dublin North East Labour TD Tommy Broughan, who opposes bloodsports, for the second stage vote. Mr Broughan did not attend later for the final vote.

Fianna Fáil Westmeath TD Mary O’Rourke said that this Bill and the dog breeding legislation should be an end to the Minister’s “rambling in rural Ireland”.

Yesterday, Mr Gormley, who brought forward the Bill, expressed confidence it would be passed. “I believe at this stage that Fianna Fáil colleagues are committed to implement the Programme for Government. They know that I am a reasonable person and this is not the thin end of the wedge.”

In a statement tonight, Labour chief whip Emmet Stagg said he had written to Mr Broughan informing the TD of the removal of the party whip after his decision to absent himself from the two Dáil votes.

In his letter Mr Stagg said: "I wish also to put on record that you did not inform me of your intentions and that I made contact with you between the two votes referred to and instructed you to attend for the vote at 7.00pm. You failed to do so."

Mr Stagg goes on to tell Mr Broughan that when the TD abstained on the Criminal Justice Bill last year, "the party leader made it clear to you that any repetition would result in the automatic removal of the whip from you".

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Maybe it's the cynic in me, but I can't help feeling that this is the first of many attacks that the Green Party have planned against country pursuits.

lordgoat

Maybe it's the human in me but maybe this is the first in many acts that prohibit unnecessary traditions.

Also I love how this is turned into an agenda the green party suddenly have. This was on their mandate from the very first day. It is not a surprise or an attack on country life. It is a pro animal stance. And i welcome the fact the pushed it through. If this is thought about properly the main gripe anti-bill people should be with FF. As they are the majority party and supported it.

Ave Sodalis

Why on earth is the government pushing this through now, when there is an economic downturn? Do they not realise that hunting brings tourists of that sort to Ireland, meaning (to put it in simple language) money? Do they also not realise that they are destroying an age old tradition for which we are renowned?

Prehaps restrict it to certain conditions, yes, but not stamp altogether. Next thing you know, they'll get rid of drag hunts for some environmental reasons...

lordgoat

sup_dude wrote: »

Why on earth is the government pushing this through now, when there is an economic downturn? Do they not realise that hunting brings tourists of that sort to Ireland, meaning (to put it in simple language) money? Do they also not realise that they are destroying an age old tradition for which we are renowned?

Prehaps restrict it to certain conditions, yes, but not stamp altogether. Next thing you know, they'll get rid of drag hunts for some environmental reasons...

Again this was on the green manifesto from day 1, it's actually been held back until now. There should be no surprise by it.

Also just because something is a tradition does not make it right. I can think of any number of traditions from various countries that are no longer allowed. There are also far more humane ways to cull deer herds. As far as i know we were the only one to run them down. no?

In some good news though , apparently Ireland is no longer in recession.

animan

They don't kill the stag on a hunt. It is not a method of culling.

Ave Sodalis

lordgoat wrote: »

Again this was on the green manifesto from day 1, it's actually been held back until now. There should be no surprise by it.

Also just because something is a tradition does not make it right. I can think of any number of traditions from various countries that are no longer allowed. There are also far more humane ways to cull deer herds. As far as i know we were the only one to run them down. no?

In some good news though , apparently Ireland is no longer in recession.

Again, if it has been held back, why now? No matter when they push it through, whether it's now or "Day 1", it would spark the same reaction.

Hate ta put a damner on the good news, but they haven't confirmed that yet. There are talks that we are back on our way back but officially, we are still in a recession.:(