Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I wish to focus on the underlying issue of the Bill, which is the central issue, that is, the ban on fur farming. I will make two points on that. One, there needs to be a just transition for workers engaged in these industries that will have to be shut down and for which we have been campaigning for a long time to shut down. It is not just an issue of redundancy payments. It is also a question of alternative employment and retraining, as is the case with fossil fuel workers who will lose their jobs in the context of a just and rapid transition. It is essential that ordinary workers do not lose out as a result of doing the right thing in terms of animal rights.

Second, this is a victory for campaigning. It is a consequence of the campaigning by the National Animal Rights Association and the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as statements from Veterinary Ireland and many other campaigning organisations. This came about as a direct consequence of a Bill put forward by People Before Profit-Solidarity which sought to ban fur farming. That pushed the Government, together with the campaigning from outside the House, to move to impact this measure. It shows we can win when we campaign.

That brings me to my next point which is that the next emerging issue in terms of animal rights in this country will be the Bill, which will be moved at Second Stage next year, to ban hare coursing. It seeks to ban the cruel practice that leads to tens of unnecessary deaths and hundreds of unnecessary injuries to and mauling of hares every year when hare coursing takes place. It is a practice with no support from the public. Some 77% of people agree with banning it. The question for the Green Party will be whether it will go against its long-term policy of supporting a ban on hare coursing and back its partners in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael by voting against the ban. It is a question for the Labour Party that likes to talk from time to time about animal rights but has still not given a commitment to support it, and for Sinn Féin Deputies who had a motion before their last AGM, which was taken off the agenda, to change their party's policy and support a ban on hare coursing.

Those who have been watching what happened in the North in relation to the motion on fox hunting will perhaps not be feeling very optimistic. The attempt to ride two horses at once reached its zenith with Deputy Carthy's appearance on the radio where he attempted to say that Sinn Féin was opposed to a ban on fox hunting because of biodiversity, which makes no sense whatsoever. I appeal to campaigners to take heart from what happened yesterday in Stormont regarding the vote on abortion. Sinn Féin can come under pressure. Animal rights campaigners and members within Sinn Féin who support a ban on hare coursing should put pressure on the party leadership and tell them not to be on the wrong side of history on this issue and ask them to support a ban on hare coursing when it comes before the House next year.

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