Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cathaoirleach for allowing me to contribute at this point, even though my name was not on the list. Yesterday, I mentioned my disappointment that the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill was removed from the schedule. Today, I am still unsure as to what is happening with the Bill.It is a programme for Government commitment that commenced Committee Stage on 16 February. Since then, we have had less than two hours of debate and it is now 9 March.

Next week, mink-breeding season starts again. I can only come to the conclusion that this is being drawn out. This was initiated in the Dáil back in October. If anybody wanted to have any discussions in the background, there was ample time to do so. There was also ample time in the programme for Government to discuss it. Mink farming is a cruel practice and we all acknowledge that. It must end. There has already been a commitment on compensation for the three farms that do it. Those farms had 120,000 mink in very confined circumstances.

We all know that it has to be ended. Given that, the very fact that it is removed from the schedule with no notice, begs some questions. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, who is anxious to put forward with this. He gave a commitment last week on redundancy payments. However, everybody knows that redundancy payments cannot happen until the Bill is signed into law and it is a matter for statutory instrument. That is the same practice all of the time.

I would like for it to be put back on the schedule. I would like an explanation from Fine Gael, in particular, to its electorate as to why it is drawing this out month after month and going into another year of fur farming and this hideous practice.