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No plans for bans: Fine Gael
19 April 2007 The leader of Fine Gael has confirmed that, although his party supports drag hunting, they have no plans to ban blood sports. "There are no proposals to ban hunting or coursing under consideration by Fine Gael," Enda Kenny, TD stated this week in a letter to the Irish Council Against Blood Sports. ICABS is greatly disappointed at this response, particularly as Mr Kenny has expressed his personal opposition to hare coursing in the past. We have renewed our call to Fine Gael to reconsider their policy and to match an anti-blood sports commitment given by the Green Party. The Greens have pledged to put a complete ban in place if they get into government after the next election. Although not considering a ban on cruel blood sports like foxhunting, coursing, mink hunting and carted deer hunting, Deputy Kenny maintained that his party supports the growth of the humane drag hunting alternative. "Fine Gael is supportive of the development of alternatives to conventional hunting such as drag hunting, which are growing in popularity in many parts of the country," he said. "In addition to the removal of the fox from this form of hunting, the course of drag hunts can be planned in advance thereby minimising disruption to farmers and landowners." If Fine Gael truly wants to see foxes and other animals being removed from hunting, the most effective way forward is to come out in favour of a ban on hunting with hounds. ICABS is now renewing its appeal to Enda Kenny and his party to condemn blood sports and commit to outlawing them in Ireland. See also: Fine Gael would NOT ban hunting
ACTION ALERT 1 Urge Fine Gael to come out in favour of a complete ban on blood sports. This would be a popular policy, given the majority opposition to hunting and coursing in Ireland.
Sample Letter
Enda Kenny, TD
Tel: 01 618 3105
Dear Deputy Kenny, While I welcome the news that Fine Gael is in favour of drag hunting, I find it disappointing that your party is not prepared to pledge its support for an end to blood sports. Activities involving merciless acts of animal cruelty should have no place in a modern country like Ireland. I urge you and Fine Gael to reconsider your blood sports policy to reflect this. Thank you. I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Name/Location ACTION ALERT 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: Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 337 889. Write to your Senator at: Seanad Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 732 623. For the names and contact details of politicians, please visit the Irish Government Website at: www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/. For the views of current TDs and Senators and for contact details of political parties, please visit our Politicians Page
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