FIANNA FÁIL TD Mattie McGrath warned last night he would “most certainly” vote against upcoming legislation on dog breeding, after siding with the Opposition on the Bill to ban stag hunting.
The Tipperary South deputy said he told Taoiseach Brian Cowen the Green Party was “bullying” Fianna Fáil at last night’s meeting of the parliamentary party.
Confirming he would vote against the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill next week, he said: “It should be shredded. It’s in no programme for government.”
Mr McGrath and Christy O’Sullivan of Cork South West came under “huge pressure” at the meeting to back the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, which is contained in the renewed programme agreed between the Coalition partners last year.
The meeting started at 5.30pm and was interrupted by two votes on the legislation under discussion. Both Mr McGrath and Mr O’Sullivan abstained on the first vote, on the second stage of the Bill. Mr McGrath voted against the Government in the final vote, while Mr O’Sullivan sided with the Coalition.
With 15 minutes to go until the final vote at 7pm, Clare TD Timmy Dooley suggested Mr Cowen go to a side room with Mr McGrath and Mr O’Sullivan and deputies from Meath to discuss the issue privately. This was immediately rejected by the Taoiseach, who reportedly said he was not getting into a “huddle”.
Mr McGrath said Mr Cowen told him: “We’re all men enough to do our business here in the parliamentary party room.” Mr McGrath said he agreed.
According to another deputy, who did not wish to be named, the Taoiseach said: “We are going down to vote and I expect people to vote for the party.” The TD added: “It was: this is it – my way or the highway.”
A number of those in attendance said Mr O’Sullivan was highly critical of Minister for the Environment John Gormley.
Many members of the party appealed to Mr McGrath and Mr O’Sullivan not to vote against the Government during the meeting.
Limerick West TD Niall Collins said he told the meeting: “We can’t be getting soft and rolling over on the Wildlife Bill and be seen as capitulating to the Bailey brothers and Johnny Ronans and big builders and the Dublin 4 set that ride out with the Ward Union.”
Further concessions on controversial dog breeding legislation were outlined by Mr Cowen. The Taoiseach is understood to have said he expected the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill to be “significantly amended” to exempt the greyhound industry. The 1958 Greyhound Industry Act will be amended at the same time. There will also be some concession on fees and other issues.
Earlier, after Mr McGrath and Mr O’Sullivan abstained in the first vote, Mr Cowen read from a copy of the rules of the Fianna Fáil Party, giving the clear impression that anyone who abstained or voted against the Government would lose the whip.
Mr Cowen commended his party’s deputies from Meath for backing the legislation despite intense lobbying from pro-hunting groups.
Others praised them for their loyalty to the party. Meath TDs who addressed the meeting pointed out that the Bill affected the only licensed hunt in the country: the Ward Union Hunt in Co Meath.
