Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome this Bill and Sinn Féin will support it. It is fair to say there is widespread and growing unease at the use of animal furs in clothing and the reduction of an animal to a pelt, a fashion accessory or a symbol of wealth and status. Growing up, I remember the protests about fur on the catwalks and the banners that read "It takes...[50] dumb animals to make [this]...coat. But only one to wear it". It was stark but effective. As a society, we no longer have to rely on animal skins for warmth or protection. Fur is a luxury we can no longer afford in terms of public health or animal health and welfare. There are concerns worldwide about the intensive conditions under which animals are farmed for fur and a growing sense that it is no longer acceptable. It is not just a case of less is more or fewer are better; none at all is ideal.

While this compassion for animals and worry for their welfare is admirable and desirable, it has a major impact on the people who have made fur farming their lives, many of them through generations. It is of critical importance to our fur farmers who have been farming well, legally and to high standards. In some cases, generations of families were reared on the strength of it. They know their business backwards and have invested heavily in their operations in terms of commitment, skill and money. They cannot now be abandoned. They must be fairly compensated for the dramatic changes in the professional fortunes on which whole families depend for a living. For Sinn Féin, our fur farmers are no different from any other workers who merit respect and dignity, especially at a time of major change and readjustment. These are well-run businesses and real livelihoods, with careers and futures on the line, so the packages must be right. I commend Deputy Ryan on what she suggested because many mink were released into the wild by misled activists. It would be a very good idea to look at what she suggested.

The psychological and emotional aspects of change must be also taken into account, which are factors that cannot be underestimated and must be addressed in the same way as the practical considerations. It cannot be the case that the State abandons these small operators at the very time they most need our help. Sinn Féin is not alone in having concerns about this compensation and how it is devised. There seems to be a lack of it and it is certainly not the package it could be. Deputies Carthy and Browne mentioned asbestos and the Minister has to look at that issue again. These are major practical concerns that are a source of worry to the operators and their workers. We are also duly concerned about the statutory redundancy and retraining fund the operators have sought. It is a necessary lifeline for those who will be seeking employment in other areas after years of specialising in farming animals for fur.

The environmental aspects also need to be considered. More, and better, needs to be done, with a focus on the issues overall, including the financial, practical and psychological. I wish to make it clear that we in Sinn Féin are anxious that these hardworking people are not abandoned but are supported throughout the necessary changes. There is much more to do for these workers and businesses so people can feel protected and can face the future with a modicum of confidence and dignity.

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