Sir, - I refer to the letters which appeared in The Irish Times on January 9th, 22nd and 26th regarding the disturbances, caused by animal rights groups in Tramore at the traditional Christmas meet of the Waterford Hounds.
If this incident was as innocuous as these animal rights protesters would have us believe why have they gone to such lengths to defend their actions? I am certain that if one of our supporters had interfered with one of their group in the same manner as they interfered with the huntsman of the Waterford Hounds we would be facing a charge of assault! These letters coupled with their actions have served a very useful purpose in that it has shown the general public and our elected representatives just what sort of people they are dealing with. The animal rights lobby here in the Republic has shown itself capable of the riotous, unruly and uncontrollable behaviour that we have witnessed in the UK.
The real question is not whether fieldsports will continue, for they surely will, but what is the real agenda of this desperate mob? Clearly, by their presence at our ports demonstrating about the live exports issue, their constant utterances about modern farming methods, vivisection, the use of drugs own animals, etc., their agenda is much, much wider and should be of concern to all, especially our elected representatives from rural constituencies.
The debate to which we are all subjected to is not whether fieldsports, modern farming practices and experiments on animals should be allowed to continue in the controlled manner in which they do but rather whether the countryside and the industrialists are prepared to allow themselves to be dictated to by a vociferous minority bolstered by a handful of urban based TDs. - Yours, etc.,
Public Relations Officer,
Irish Master of
Foxhounds Association,
Newcastle,
Co Dublin.