|
Senator Bacik thanked for refusing to vote against stag hunt ban
01 July 2010
|
ICABS has thanked Senator Ivana Bacik for refusing to vote against a ban on the Ward Union. The Irish Times has reported that the Labour Party senator abstained in a Seanad vote on the Wildlife Amendment Bill.
In the article by Jimmy Walsh, it is outlined that Senator Bacik "told the House that she could not vote against the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill" because she had "a long record on the stag hunting issue [and] had worked with groups opposed to it for some years".
On her Twitter page, she stated "I have abstained on stag hunting bill. Couldn't oppose ban on principle."
Senator Bacik was very critical of the pro-Ward Union lobby group, RISE, describing their tactics as "unacceptable". She said they engaged in scaremongering and had whipped up a certain reaction to the Bill which she thought was unwarranted.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports thanks Senator Ivana Bacik for standing by her principles. Unlike most of her Labour Party colleagues in Dail Eireann, Senator Bacik remained true to a previously stated opposition to blood sports.
In 2007, ICABS thanked her for supporting our campaign for a ban on carted deer hunting. "I am asking you to refuse a licence to the Ward Union deer hunt," she stated in a letter to Environment Minister, John Gormley at the time. "The Irish Council Against Blood Sports are mounting a campaign against this, which I support."
The Times report of 1st July also highlighted that Seanad deputy leader Dan Boyle (Green Party) said he would like to see more legislation dealing with blood sports but that he thought it was becoming more unlikely that this would happen.
“Getting this type of agreement in a programme for government has been difficult enough," he said. "Listening to the performance of both main opposition parties, it would seem to me that further progress in this area is nigh on impossible.”
The second stage of the Bill was passed by 30 votes to 18 with Ms Bacik abstaining and Dominic Hannigan not voting. He was paired.
ACTION ALERT 1
Please send a message of thanks to Senator Ivana Bacik - ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
ACTION ALERT 2
Please join us in sending a message of congratulations to Minister John Gormley and the Green Party. Email "Congratulations on Success of Wildlife Amendment Bill 2010" or your own personal message to Green Party TDs and Senators
Make a donation to ICABS
Please consider making a donation to ICABS. For more details, please click on the button below or follow this link to find out how to become a campaign supporter. Thank you.
