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Bertie Ahern pictured with blood sport groups
15 March 2007 ICABS has questioned An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, about a newspaper photograph in which he is seen alongside representatives of blood sport organisations. Finance Minister, Brian Cowen, also appears in the photo which was taken at a Fianna Fail event. The photo which appeared in the Irish Examiner of 8th March 2007 includes Bertie Ahern and Minister Brian Cowen alongside Gerry Desmond of the Irish Coursing Club and five representatives of hunting lobby group, Countryside Alliance. According to the accompanying article, the "Countryside Alliance says it uses its expertise to help government personnel arrive at solutions and create policies which receive the backing of rural voters"! A spokesperson is quoted as saying that "we will always have field sports [i.e. blood sports] at our core." In a letter to An Taoiseach today, Aideen Yourell of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports reminded Mr Ahern about the cruelty of hunting and coursing and the mass opposition to the activities in Ireland. Also pointed out was the Taoiseach's stated opposition to coursing - in a letter to an ICABS supporter in 1997, he stated: "I am totally opposed to hare coursing and I hope that...many more people reject hare coursing as a past-time, which can never justifiably be called a sport." ICABS has urged Mr Ahern to give a commitment to introduce legislation outlawing all blood sports in line with the wishes of the vast majority of Irish citizens. Please join us in our appeal by responding to the action alerts below. URGENT ACTION ALERTS Urge An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to clarify his views on all blood sports and to give a commitment to introduce legislation outlawing coursing, foxhunting, carted deer hunting and all forms of hunting with hounds.
Bertie Ahern, An Taoiseach
Urge Finance Minister, Brian Cowen, to clarify his views on all blood sports and to give a commitment to support legislation outlawing coursing, foxhunting, carted deer hunting and all forms of hunting with hounds.
Brian Cowen TD
Please also contact your local TDs/Senators and urge them to put pressure on the Taoiseach to ban blood sports in Ireland as has been done in the UK.
Write to your TD at:
Write to your Senator at:
For the names and contact details of politicians, please visit the Irish Government Website at:
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