Stag Hunting

[cork]

I live in a rural village. People have no regard for stag hunting.

Labour, FG, Jackie Healy Rae & Michael Lowry oppose the banning of the hunting of a stag - on what grounds?

There seems to be a complete deficit of leadership in both FG and Labour.

 

[Purple]

Labour are attempting to court the rural vote (since they are mainly a Dublin, urbanite party). They are as bereft of morals as Fianna Fail. Because they have been out of government for a while people have forgotten that fact. FG are the party of the rural rich so at least they are acting in the interest of their core voters.

 

[Sunny]

Smart politics by Gilmore once again but I agree with Purple. Labour are turning into FF when they were led by Bertie Ahearn.

 

[cork]

Not many votes in stag hunting.

Can't see merit in grown people chasing a stag.

 

[Sunny]

Not many votes in stag hunting.

.

There is a huge rural vote. It's not just stag hunting. It's the whole rural way of life that people who live in the Country think is under threat. The same thing is happening in the UK. It's smart politics except for the fact that they have stated their objection to stag hunting so now it does just look like vote chasing.

 

[micmclo]

Not many votes in stag hunting.

Can't see merit in grown people chasing a stag.

There is one club in Ireland that does stag hunting in Ireland and that's in Co. Meath but this vote isn't just about stag hunting! Otherwise we'd only be hearing from the TD's from Meath

There is one TD from Tipperary South and two TD's from Tipperary North talking about opposing it.
If this ban is put in place it's feared it'll just the first step to banning other forms of hunting, fox hunting will probably be next. Or coursing. You have people being paid to train and kennel the hounds, the same with the horses, for some pubs the hunt is the busiest time of the year. Local hotels put on functions and the hunting clubs give money to local charities. Many people are employed in Clonmel racecourse for the three day coursing event, that's brings a lot of money to the area.
Thousands and thousands of people have a vested interest here and you say there are no votes??

A rural politician who stands up for hunting will get votes, of course if they go along with the party whip it'll be a waste of time listening to their promises.
This is about far, far more that a club in Meath who go stag hunting

Labour are attempting to court the rural vote (since they are mainly a Dublin, urbanite party).

Maybe so but stag hunting takes place in Dublin

 

[dereko1969]

I have to say I'm disgusted with Labour over this strategy, I've generally voted Labour with the odd Green vote but this is taking the whole no policy thing way too far.
First refusing point blank to tax child benefit and now this I'm struggling to see what Labour actually stand for anymore. Allied to the non response on the Croke Park agreement it really beggars belief, what will they actually put in their manifesto or will it be just a list of what they won't do?

 

[TarfHead]

For issues like this, I am reminded of, and paraphrase below, a line from The West Wing.

"It's not that they dislike stag hunting. They just dislike the pople that like stag hunting"

 

[Ash 22]

I live in the country and am opposed to anything that involves cruelty to any animal.

micmclo can they not just do a draghunt instead?

I see our local pubs on St. Stephen's day where the hunt meet and a huge amount of people turn up and fill the pubs. Now the main bulk of these people may not know a horses head from his rear but its the drink that beckons and not the hunt.

 

[gillarosa]

Labour are attempting to court the rural vote (since they are mainly a Dublin, urbanite party). They are as bereft of morals as Fianna Fail. Because they have been out of government for a while people have forgotten that fact. FG are the party of the rural rich so at least they are acting in the interest of their core voters.

I think it may be a little more cynical than that, imo Labour are banking on a split in the vote within FF and the Independents who have been voting with them which would have the potential for the bill to be lost and thus put pressure on the FF/Green partnership.

 

[ninsaga]

the whole episode is just a distraction from the bigger issues - the country is in the toilet and the gubbermint wants to talk abut this.

 

[dereko1969]

the whole episode is just a distraction from the bigger issues - the country is in the toilet and the gubbermint wants to talk abut this.

So no legislation other than economic legislation should be passed until we're out of the mire? Nonsense.

 

[Latrade]

If this ban is put in place it's feared it'll just the first step to banning other forms of hunting, fox hunting will probably be next. Or coursing. You have people being paid to train and kennel the hounds, the same with the horses, for some pubs the hunt is the busiest time of the year. Local hotels put on functions and the hunting clubs give money to local charities. Many people are employed in Clonmel racecourse for the three day coursing event, that's brings a lot of money to the area.
Thousands and thousands of people have a vested interest here and you say there are no votes??

How far do we take this argument? There was employment and contribution through Head Shops, we could even go along with calling it an "urban pursuit". Why don't any economic arguments work in that case?

Maybe so but stag hunting takes place in Dublin

Coppers doesn't count, any stag hunting is largely consensual there.

 

[Sunny]

Has anyone heard from Eamonn Gilmore this week. Strange how he is gone so quiet considering Labour were so against this legislation. Where was the usual Dail performance?

 

[Latrade]

Has anyone heard from Eamonn Gilmore this week. Strange how he is gone so quiet considering Labour were so against this legislation. Where was the usual Dail performance?

Good article in the Tribune by Shane Coleman.

Key points:

Labour 2010

[on opposing the ban] it favours tougher regulation of the operation of the Ward Union hunt; the bill is deficient; and there are far more urgent issues of animal welfare that John Gormley should be dealing with such as abandoned horses.

Labour 2007

in view of the fact that the stags hunted by the Ward Union are "farmed domesticated deer, and therefore not wild, he will withhold the issuing of a licence in 2007 under the Wildlife Act 1976 permitting stag hunting".

 

[ninsaga]

So no legislation other than economic legislation should be passed until we're out of the mire? Nonsense.

no - not at all - but why is this coming up as one of the big important issues of the week - it simply isn't!!!

 

[RMCF]

the whole episode is just a distraction from the bigger issues - the country is in the toilet and the gubbermint wants to talk abut this.

Couldnt agree more.

This topic has been on the radio and TV non-stop for 4 or 5 days, yet there are 1000 more important things to talk about in this country.

Perhaps its easier to avoid the real issues.

 

[csirl]

There is a huge rural vote. It's not just stag hunting. It's the whole rural way of life that people who live in the Country think is under threat. The same thing is happening in the UK. It's smart politics except for the fact that they have stated their objection to stag hunting so now it does just look like vote chasing.

The biggest threats to the whole rural way of life are the related plagues of one off housing and unnecessary housing estates built in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Sunny]

The biggest threats to the whole rural way of life are the related plagues of one off housing and unnecessary housing estates built in the middle of nowhere.

Indeed and I wonder who sold the land so that all these houses and estates could be built? Sorry but that is rural Ireland's own fault.

 

[Complainer]

Has anyone heard from Eamonn Gilmore this week. Strange how he is gone so quiet considering Labour were so against this legislation. Where was the usual Dail performance?

Yer man, he spends all week going on about those piddly little issues like [broken link removed] and [broken link removed], when he really should be concentrating on stag hunting - right?