Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I respect the views of others on this issue. There are strongly held views on both sides of this argument. The Labour Party has a strong record of opposing animal cruelty. Indeed, we had a campaign on that issue in the 1992-93 period. It is from that period that the oft quoted remark from me on stag hunting was made. That was a correct position at that time.

Arising from that position, we achieved major improvements in all the legal sports where one animal was set against another with the object and purpose of a kill. The kill was eliminated from all of these sports arising from the regulations introduced by two Labour Party Ministers, Deputies Higgins and O'Shea.

Deputy O'Shea introduced the use of muzzles which prevented hounds in pursuit of hares from killing hares. That was a major improvement. Hounds on racecourses in Harold's Cross, Newbridge and elsewhere are muzzled in case they attack each other. Deputy Higgins introduced regulations concerning the Ward Union Hunt which prevented the hounds from making any contact with the deer. The regulations are monitored by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food inspectors. The animal is examined by veterinarians before and after the hunt and, by all accounts, is well catered for in between hunts.

The regulations introduced by Deputy Higgins allowed a period of time - I believe it is a half an hour - between the release of the deer and the release of the hounds. They also require that the hounds must be called off if they come within a certain distance of the deer. That ensured that the two legal sports in Ireland, the purpose of which was set animals against each other with the purpose of a kill, were no longer a legal activity. That is now the case as a direct result of the Labour Party's action in government with Fianna Fáil. There was agreement across the House on the measures brought in. There is now no legal activity in which one animal is set against another with the object of killing one another, which is a major achievement.

It is now limited to race and chase with no possibility of a kill. That was the object of the exercise of the Labour Party and the basis of the statement by the Minister and others, who now want to opt for the draconian all-out, end of story measures proposed in this Bill.

Our spokesperson, Deputy Tuffy, has outlined the Labour Party's position and the reasons it will vote against this Bill which, as she said, is essentially a piece of trophy legislation promised by Fianna Fáil to the Green Party in order to provide it with some cover for having got so little from this Government. Many in Fianna Fáil are opposed to the measure but their mettle will be tested next week when we vote on this Bill.

There are many other urgent animal welfare issues the Minister is ignoring, such as the growing problem of abandoned horses in urban areas, to which my colleague referred. Some 350 horses were abandoned in Dublin alone last year but no action was taken by the Minister in that regard.

If this was only about the Ward Union Hunt, there would perhaps be only local interest. There certainly would not be the level of interest that surrounds the debate. The reason for the level of interest in and strong opposition to this measure is that the cat was let out of the bag on Pat Kenny's television programme and on Kildare FM by those campaigning for this measure. On both occasions, members and spokespersons for the Irish Council Against Blood Sports made it clear that this measure to ban the Ward Union Hunt was only the thin end of the wedge and that they had a much wider agenda which they would pursue. All levels of hunting of foxes, hare and deer would be banned if they got their way, regardless of the built-in safety regulations.

On my local radio station, Kildare FM, a senior spokesperson stated that fishing other than for food was cruel and should be banned and that there should be no more catch and release and no more course fishing. Shooting had no chance of being tolerated and horse-racing was also in their sights.

See this speech in context