Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

After this is passed tonight, the Ward Union Hunt will continue. It will either release the deer earlier and bring it back to captivity without being stressed by a pack of hounds and then have the scent, the horse riding and the industry or it will learn to drag. It will not collapse the industry because it cannot have the hounds baying at the stag. I would bet money on that. If it wants to cut off its nose to spite its face then it is very stupid. Rise! is very clever because it turned this debate into a rural versus urban divide. As someone with rural blood roaring through my veins it is not a rural versus urban divide. Rural people oppose the wanton cruelty of animals just as urban people do.

In 2007, Deputy Gilmore put pressure on the Minister, Deputy Gormley, to enact legislation but that has changed now, because the pollsters state that perhaps a handful of people might vote for the Labour Party as it is doing well in the polls. That is the difference between a small party and a large party. As a small party, we are not beholden to anyone. We try to work for the people and for our principles.

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