Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

He should not do a Gogarty on me.

This extended list of rural sports enjoyed by urban and rural people is threatened. That is the reason so many people have come out against this measure. I will not support that agenda. The most serious act against wildlife in this country was the release into the wild of thousands of farmed mink. Those supporting this Bill and the wider agenda to which I have referred boasted that they were responsible for this dastardly act. Mink have spread to all parts of the island. They have decimated wildlife, wiping out rabbits and water fowl in many areas, and they have attacked domestic animals and fowl. The people who committed this dastardly act and those associated with them did more damage to wildlife than 100 Ward Unions would have done.

During a recent debate in the House, Deputy Thomas Byrne attacked and denigrated Senator Dominic Hannigan because the Labour Party had not at that time made a decision on its position on this measure. The parliamentary party discusses issues and arrives at a decision, which we then implement. The decision was made recently following the publication of this Bill and the public debate on it. The Labour Party has examined the Bill and reached a decision to vote against it. Senator Hannigan will vote accordingly in the Seanad. I hope Deputy Byrne will also vote against this measure in accordance with his publicly expressed position.

I was born and reared on a small farm in County Mayo. We snared rabbits for food and for sale. It was not a kind way of catching them but it was the only way available to us. We destroyed vermin and we collected the State bounties for doing so, which gave us pocket money. We respected our environment and we protected it as best we could. After all, we lived off the land and what it produced and we had an interest in doing so. I will not accept any criticism of my commitment to animal welfare or the record of the Labour Party in this regard.

Bloodsports do not exist legally in Ireland unless one wants to count shooting and fishing, which are on the Minister's agenda.

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