THE ONLY licensed hunt in the country has been “thrown to the wolves” by the Government to keep the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Coalition together, a public meeting was told last night.
There was standing-room only in the Trim Castle Hotel for the meeting, called to protest against a proposed Bill that would outlaw stag hunting and therefore outlaw the Ward Union Hunt based in Co Meath.
Ward Union Hunt chairman Christy Reynolds said the decision to include a ban on stag hunting in the renegotiated Programme for the Government was a sop by Fianna Fáil to the Green Party and its leader, John Gormley.
“With a stroke of a pen they can take away 155 years of enjoyment and hunting,” he said.
The organisers delayed the start of the meeting by 20 minutes because of traffic jams due to protesters trying to access the venue. About 800 people from hunting associations across the country attended.
Hunting Association of Ireland chairman David Lalor said the number was “just a fraction” of those in the hunting community who supported the Ward Union.
Farmers’ Journal editor and former chairman of the Kildare Hunt, Matt Dempsey, said there were more people at last night’s meeting than would be at a Green Party convention.
Former chairman of Meath County Council and Fianna Fáil councillor Nick Killian said the proposed ban was “the Green tail wagging the Fianna Fáil dog” and he was “disgusted” with his party for supporting the ban.
Television personality and businessman Gavin Duffy said the most that hunting protesters could muster for a demonstration would be 12. “We could bring 120,000 to the gates of Leinster House if we wanted. We need Fianna Fáil to know that they are messing with the wrong people,” he said.
He said it was “shockingly disappointing” that Trim TD and Government Minister Noel Dempsey, who negotiated the Programme for Government, had not turned up.
He had “insulted” his constituents and showed where he stood on the issue of the ban. “He needs to know he has made a serious political error,” Mr Duffy added.
Other TDs from Meath and North Dublin attended, with the exception of North Dublin Green TD Trevor Sargent.
Meath East Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne said he was not comfortable with the proposed ban, but would be supporting the Government. “I’m not a rebel,” he said, but he added that Fianna Fáil would not stand for any other prohibitions on hunting.
Dublin North TD Darragh O’Brien said he would bring the message of the meeting back to Government.