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Lucinda Creighton thinks animal cruelty tourism would give Irish economy a boost
30 November 2015
"There's definitely room for further promotion. Would be a huge boost for neglected rural economy." The outrageous response from Renua leader Lucinda Creighton TD when ICABS challenged her on her suggestion that hunting be developed as an Irish tourism product.
During a November Dail debate on the Horse Racing Ireland Bill, the Dublin South–East TD stated: "I think we need to develop a lot more of our tourism industry around the horse equestrian sector generally - be it sport horses, be it the hunting sector, be it racing and so on. A lot of that can be integrated because often it's the same people who are interested in all the different elements. I think there's real potential there" -
When ICABS expressed shock and disgust at the statement, Lucinda Creighton tweeted back to say "It already is [developed as tourism product]. There's definitely room for further promotion. Would be a huge boost for neglected rural economy."
The reality is that, due to the appalling animal cruelty involved, Ireland's tourism body Failte Ireland, has long since stopped promoting hunting. On its website, the tourism body makes it clear that "Blood sports including coursing or hunting are not promoted in any Failte Ireland publications."
Any move to present foxhunting as a tourism product would surely damage Ireland’s international image – particularly in a modern tourism market where respect for the environment, wildlife and nature ranks highly among potential visitors. Our international image already suffers due to our government's failure to act to ban barbaric bloodsports such as foxhunting and hare coursing.
It is appalling that Lucinda Creighton, as a member of our national parliament, would stand up in this day and age and promote such blatant cruelty to animals. She can’t be unaware of the barbarism involved – foxes chased for miles to exhaustion and torn apart by a pack of hounds when caught. And when foxes manage to find refuge underground, terriers are sent in after them to corner and attack them while merciless terriermen with spades, dig out the terrified foxes to brutally kill them.
Join us in urging Lucinda Creighton and her Renua party to reject cruelty to animals and adopt animal welfare policies that support a long overdue ban on foxhunting, hare coursing and all forms of hunting wild animals with dogs.
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Email: lucinda.creighton@oir.ie
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