Animal Voice - Issue 1, 2010

ANIMAL VOICE

Newsletter of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports Issue 1, 2010

THE END OF THEWARD IS NIGH

Minister Gormley promises that legislation banning theWard Union will be drafted “as soon as possible”

“I saw hounds attack”:

Cllr condemns hunt

Support our urgentanti-coursingaction alerts

Minister asked to

“before someone gets killed”

REVOKE LICENCE

I support ban onthe Ward Union

HELP THE HARES

Green Ministerdefended cruelbadger snaring

FG challengedon outdatedblood sportsstance

ENVIRONMENTMinister, JohnGormley has confirmed that hewill publish legislation to banthe Ward Union "as soon aspossible". The Minister madethe statement in response to aDail question from pro-huntingFine Gael TD, Shane McEntee.

Speaking during anAdjournment Debate about hunt-ing licences on 2 December2009, Minister Gormley statedthat the renewed programme forGovernment “includes a commit-ment to ban the practice of staghunting” and that the relevantlegislation will be publishedsoon.Responding to a defence of thehunt by Deputy McEntee, theMinister emphasised his determi-nation to end the hunt “for animalwelfare and public safety rea-sons”“I believe a large proportion ofthe public consider such activityis no longer acceptable,” he stat-ed. “The Deputy may recall anincident a few years ago when adeer pursued by a pack ofhounds entered a school yardduring the school day. I find anincident like this totally intolera-ble.”Highlighting other public safetyincidents, he referred to deer inflight leaping through hedgesonto public roads.“This legislation will not haveany implications for other activi-ties such as fox-hunting, harecoursing or the shooting of deer,”he continued, adding that it will“allow for regulations to controlrecreational activities, to addressinvasive species and to increasethe penalties under the WildlifeActs. “It was revealed that the legisla-tion will increase the maximumfines that could be imposed on aperson following a conviction foran offence under the Wildlife Act.The penalties were lastincreased in 2000. The currentfine of £500 will be increased to1,000 while the £50,000 will riseto 100,000“It is my intention to publish thelegislation as soon as possible,”Minister Gormley emphasised.

Please email "I support thebanning of the Ward Union"to minister@environ.ie ortelephone your message tothe Minister on 00353 (0)18882403. Alternatively, youcan fax a letter of support forthe ban to 00353 (0)1 8788640.

If you live in Shane McEntee'sMeath constituency, pleaseremind him that you are one ofthe majority of Meath residentswho want the Ward Unionbanned. Contact him atshane.mcentee@finegael.ie orTel: 01 6184447

ACTION ALERT

Minister John Gormley: Hisanti-hunt legislation imminent

Legislation banning the Ward Union huntwill be published “as soon as possible”

THE END OF THEWARD IS NIGH

Ableeding and exhausted Ward Union deer at the end of a hunt.This activity is “no longer acceptable”, Minister Gormley noted.

ICABS HASrenewed its appealto Green Party leader andEnvironment Minister, JohnGormley, to cancel a licenceextension he promised to harecoursers.

The extension, which was dueto be granted early in the newyear, would allow coursers tocontinue terrorising hares intothe month of March.In correspondence to theMinister, ICABS pointed out thathe is in no way obliged undercurrent legislation to issue eitherthe coursing licence or thelicence extension.“We appeal to your sense ofcompassion to please spare thehares the suffering caused bycoursing clubs and bring thisblood sport to an end,” we stat-very much in line with the GreenParty's anti-blood sports policies.We are continuing to urgeMinister John Gormley to put inplace permanent protection forthe Irish Hare.Please help save hares fromthe cruelty of coursing. Respondnow to our action alert.ed. “Minister, this positive movewould be welcomed widely bythe majority of citizens who wantcoursing outlawed and would be

Please email "No more harecoursing licences or licenceextensions” to minister@environ.ie

Print and post our new poster(pictured left) to Minister JohnGormley, Department of theEnvironment, Custom House,Dublin 1 or fax to 00353 (0)1878 8640.Alternatively, download theposter from www.tinyurl.com/ stopthesuffering and email tominister@environ.ie

ACTION ALERT

Join our campaign to savehares from this cruelty.

Renewed appeal to Minister John Gormley

Cancel the coursinglicence extension

Download and send our poster

Download now from www.tinyurl.com/stopthesuffering