NARGC ASKS GREEN PARTY TO EXPLAIN ‘ILL-CONCEIVED’ ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY

The National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) is asking the Green Party to explain what it refers to as a ‘misguided’ and ‘misinformed’ animal welfare policy to its members.

The animal welfare policy, which it is understood has already been adopted by the Green Party, contains a number of what Des Crofton Director of the NARGC describes politely as naive aspirations which seem to indicate that the Party has no real empathy with or understanding of rural communities and their way of life.

The key points within the policy state that the Party would, if in Government, implement the following;

• Introduce legislation to end so-called “bloodsports”

• Lobby for a Europe-wide ban on “bloodsports”

• Phase out live exports of cattle
While the Party admits that farmers will need to be reimbursed for this loss of income, they admit to not having any alternative to offer farmers – just a vague promise to search for a solution.

• Trap and neuter all feral cats before releasing them back into their “natural habitat”, monitoring their movements and ensuring they have access to food and water.
Educated environmentalists understand that firstly, feral species do not have natural habitats and secondly, the amount of damage done annually by feral cats to songbirds, ground nesting birds and domestic poultry is very serious.  Releasing feral cats into the wild would be the same as releasing an alien predator and would cause untold environmental damage on a scale comparable to what happened when mink were irresponsibly released from mink farms.  Another omission, are facts on who is going to carry out this work and how much it will all cost.  

• Increase grant aid to animal welfare organisations
Again, by how much and who is going to pay for it?

• Ban the trade in any animal fur products

The NARGC is the largest NGO in the country with just under 27,000 members spread throughout 1,000 gun clubs – one club in almost every parish.  In total, there are some 300,000 people in Ireland involved in fieldsports in all its forms, apart at all from the number involved in farming and fishing.  While Des Crofton says his organisation is always happy to discuss conservation and environmental issues, he is also keen to stress that collectively, his members, together with the members of the other hunting associations and their families, have the electoral power to prevent any party from governing.  

Mr Crofton said that Enda Kenny gave a solemn commitment to all the hunting associations, when he met them on April 20th 2005 in the offices of the Irish Coursing Club in Clonmel, that Fine Gael would not in government agree to the introduction of restrictions or bans on hunting.  

Mr Crofton said “On behalf of my members, I have two requests.  The first is that The Green Party elaborates on it’s animal welfare policy and fills in some of what I can only describe as glaring gaps.  The second is a question for Enda Kenny and Pat Rabitte, and it is this:-

Will Fine Gael & Labour negotiate a programme for Government with the Green Party which will include any measure to ban or restrict any fieldsport? “

Mr Crofton concluded by saying “In view of the fact that Enda Kenny is now contemplating governing with the support of the Greens, he should answer my question promptly.  I am also calling on Pat Rabitte, the Leader of the Labour Party to do likewise”.


ENDS
12th March 2007.