Greens and FF in final effort to secure votes

LAST-MINUTE negotiations continued at the highest levels of the Fianna Fáil and Green parties yesterday in order to shore-up support for controversial dog-breeding legislation, to be debated in the Dáil today.

Elements of the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill relating to the greyhound industry will be inserted into an amended version of the 1958 Greyhound Industry Act but the Hunting Association of Ireland (HAI) will not be exempt, a spokesman for the Greens said.

Government sources last night insisted they were confident the Bill would pass next week, with a spokesman for Government Chief Whip John Curran saying: “We’re working towards a consensus.”

Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath has already confirmed he will vote against the Bill and a small group of Fianna Fáil backbenchers claimed their support could not be guaranteed. “I’ve a funny feeling [Minister for the Environment] John Gormley could give in on the greyhound issues but let the hunting people go to hell,” Mr McGrath said.

The Green spokesman said: “The hunting people are benefiting from numerous advantages and changes but they don’t have a total exemption.” They will be exempt from fees and a review clause will be introduced to examine the impact of the legislation 12 months after it has been enacted.

However, Christy O’Sullivan of Cork South-West, Máire Hoctor of Tipperary North and John McGuinness of Carlow-Kilkenny insisted Mr Gormley gave a previous commitment that groups affiliated to the HAI be granted a total exemption from the requirements of the regulations.

This was echoed by Independent TDs Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae.

Mr Lowry said he had confirmation from Mr Curran that Mr Gormley would take account of the views of himself, Mr Healy-Rae and “a number of Fianna Fáil backbenchers” in amendments to the proposed legislation.

“If our concerns are addressed in these amendments we will vote for the Bill. If they are not we won’t. End of story. He’d be politically wise to deal with those amendments in the spirit with which they were put forward,” Mr Lowry said.

Mr O’Sullivan, who has made repeated representations on the proposed legislation, wrote to Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Mr Curran yesterday to express the extent of his concerns. Mr O’Sullivan and Mr McGrath this week abstained in a vote on the legislation to ban stag hunting, but while Mr McGrath voted against the Government in the final vote, Mr O’Sullivan sided with the Coalition.

Asked how she would vote, Ms Hoctor, who shares a constituency with Mr Lowry, said: “I don’t know. It will depend on if we can get the amendments through and that they are workable for the Hunting Association of Ireland.”

Ms Hoctor said she wanted the requirement to have hunting dogs micro-chipped scrapped, insisting tattoos provided a more than adequate traceability tool.

The proposed legislation will be debated for three hours today and second stage will be completed next Thursday, the final day of Dáil business, after which there will be a vote. Amendments will be discussed on the same day at committee and remaining stages, and another vote will follow. The Bill, which began life in the Seanad, must return to the Upper House for final approval next week.

Some amendments will be published and there will be concessions on fees. A spokesman for the pro-hunting group Rise! (Rural Ireland Says Enough!) said he hoped the amendments would be “significant and substantial”.

Chairwoman of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), Barbara Bent, said the Bill had to be passed or an opportunity that animal welfare activists had been waiting for 30 years for would be lost.