EMMET STAGG has confirmed he is among a number of Labour TDs who do not support a ban on stag hunting.
While there is also strong opposition to stag hunting within the party, Labour has not yet decided how it will vote on proposed legislation to outlaw the practice, published recently by Minister for the Environment John Gormley.
The pro-hunting group Rural Ireland Says Enough! (Rise!) said it would seek a meeting with Labour leader Eamon Gilmore. A Rise! spokesman claimed more than 70 TDs and senators from various parties attended its lobbying session in Dublin yesterday. “Deputies from the Labour Party spoke so strongly in our favour. We will be seeking a meeting with Eamon Gilmore and are optimistic we will get it and get a chance to make our case,” he said.
Fine Gael opposes the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill.
A spokesman for Labour said the party had not yet made a decision on the issue, which was on the agenda for the party to deal with in the coming weeks. “It’s not a political priority for us at all,” he said.
Mr Stagg, Labour whip and TD for Kildare North, said: “I see nothing wrong with it [stag hunting] at all. I think it’s well regulated. I’m a supporter of country sports in general,” he said.
Longford-Westmeath TD Willie Penrose also said he would not support a ban. “I support rural Ireland. I don’t support the Wildlife Bill. I certainly would not support the bill. I’m a rural person with rural views,” he said.
Kildare South TD Jack Wall said he was not in favour of the bill and stag hunting provided employment.
Cork South-Central TD Ciaran Lynch confirmed he attended the briefing but discussed “difficulties” with elements of the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill relating to the greyhound industry.Waterford deputy Brian O’Shea also attended the briefing to express concerns about that bill.
Cork East TD Sean Sherlock said he would reserve comment on stag hunting until the matter had been discussed internally. “I believe there must be some sort of regulation but we must not regulate field sports out of existence,” he said.
Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny Bobby Aylward said he told Rise! a ban on stag hunting was in the programme for government. “So we have to stand by that.”
However, Mr Aylward said he would be disappointed if the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill was not “watered down”.
