Call for free vote on hunting Bill in Dáil rejected

MINISTER of State Martin Mansergh has dismissed calls by some of his fellow Fianna Fáil TDs for a free vote in the Dáil on the Bill to ban stag-hunting. “There is no tradition of free votes in the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party,” he said.

The TD for Tipperary South and Minister of State for Finance, added that Fianna Fáil had “signed up” for the measure, which the Green Party had insisted be included in the renewed programme for government, and “we don’t have any choice”.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Dr Mansergh said, in Latin, that “pacta sunt servanda” (agreements must be kept).

He noted that coalition government required parties to compromise and joked that he could not “run with the hare and hunt with the hounds”.

Earlier this week, two Fianna Fáil backbenchers, John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny) and Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South), said TDs should be allowed to vote without the imposition of the party whip when the Bill came before the Oireachtas in the spring.

Dr Mansergh said that while “free votes might be okay in the [British] House of Commons for a government with a large majority, they would place an intolerable burden on TDs in multi-seat constituencies”.

While “in general” he was “a supporter of field sports”, he was “not personally involved” unlike members of his “wider family”.

He rejected the notion – claimed by some pro-hunting activists – that banning stag-hunting represented the “thin edge of the wedge” which would lead to the outlawing of other rural pursuits such as fox-hunting or hare-coursing.

However there is unease among rural Fianna Fáil TDs about the issue.

Seán Connick (Wexford) said he shared the concerns expressed by Mr McGuinness and Mr McGrath about the potential impact on the rural community, but he had “not yet decided” if he would call for a free vote.

However, he expected that the issue would have to be discussed again by the parliamentary party. He said activities such as hunting and fishing were “a big part of Irish rural culture”.

Brendan Kenneally (Waterford) said he would support the ban on stag-hunting which he described as an “upper-class” activity.

Fine Gael TD (Tipperary South) Tom Hayes said dissident Fianna Fáil TDs were “bluffing” and would toe the line when it came to a Dáil vote “like they did with Nama”.He said Fine Gael would oppose the legislation to ban stag-hunting.

Deputy leader of the Green Party Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny), who helped to negotiate the renewed programme for government, said the party was determined that the ban on stag-hunting “will go through”.

National Hunt jockey Paul Carberry has sent a written appeal to Taoiseach Brian Cowen not to ban stag-hunting which, he claimed, was “a vital part” of his preparation for Cheltenham.

Some 800 people attended a public meeting in Trim, Co Meath, last month to protest against the proposed ban.

The State’s only licensed stag hunt is run by the Ward Union Hunt in Co Meath.