The views of 2019 Local Election Candidates (Cork County) in relation to animal cruelty issues. Please support compassionate candidates and reject those who defend animal cruelty.
Cllr Alan Coleman (Independent, formerly Fianna Fail, Cork County Council, Bandon-Kinsale)
“I support rural activities, particularly the hunts that are engaged in foxhunting. I don’t have an involvement myself but do give permission for my lands to be hunted.” from an email to ICABS, June 2014.
Evie Nevin (Social Democrats, Clonakilty-Skibbereen)
“I am in full support of banning any harmful treatment of animals. Growing up, I was a regular horse rider but always refused to take part in hunts. To chase an animal for sport is abhorrent.
Animals have always had a special place in my heart. Some of my favourite memories were weeks off school working in a veterinary clinic and a summer raising newborn blackbirds at home until they were ready to live independently. That included waking up at 4am to feed them worm omelettes!
Animal cruelty seems to be increasing here in Ireland, particularly with dogs, cats and horses and there absolutely needs to be harsher penalties for those who neglect or purposefully cause harm to an animal. Our Government also needs to do more to protect our native species from dying out.” from an email to ICABS, 17 May 2019.
Cllr Paul Hayes (Sinn Fein, Cork County, Skibbereen)
“Cllr Paul Hayes said he had seen a behind-the-scenes video of the treatment of animals in circuses and described it as ‘very disturbing.'” Cllr Hayes supported an anti-circus motion tabled by Cllr Kieran McCarthy. (Source: Irish Examiner, June 10, 2014)
Cllr Bernard Moynihan (Fianna Fail, Cork County Council, Kanturk)
In November 2018, the Irish Examiner reported that “plans to build a new reservoir to supply a drought-stricken village have been delayed by up to 18 months because of a colony of bats.” The response from Cllr Bernard Moynihan: “So bats are holding up the whole thing. Bats are now more important than the people.”
Cllr June Murphy (Social Democrats, Cork County, Fermoy)
“I support a ban on foxhunting, hare coursing and fur farming. I’m a huge animal lover and feel very strongly about protecting them.”
The Social Democrats are in favour of a ban on fox hunting, hare coursing and fur farming. The party’s animal welfare policy states: “The Social Democrats strongly advocate animal rights and recognise animals as intelligent, sentient beings capable of complex thought and of experiencing pain and suffering…We are in favour of harsher penalties for animal cruelty” See the full policy at https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/our-policies/
Síle Ní Dhubhghaill (Social Democrats, Macroom)
“I am a passionate advocate of the rights of animals. I am against foxhunting, hare coursing and fur farming. I support more enforcement and greater penalties for animal cruelty. I believe that we need a national database of dog ownership, enforcement of the law around microchipping for both dogs and equines, more control around breeding, and increased resources for TNR programmes for feral cats. My own beloved dogs, cats and donkey were all rescued and I believe that our animal rescue organisations do stellar work and deserve more support. I also believe we need more education and awareness, especially for children, around how animals should be treated.”
Alan O’Connor (Green Party, Cork County, Cobh)
“I wholeheartedly support a ban on foxhunting, hare coursing and fur farming.”
Cllr Padraig O’Sullivan (Fianna Fail, Cork County Council, Cobh)
“Personally I’m not in favour of blood sports.” from a tweet to ICABS, August 2014.
Vanessa O’Sullivan (People Before Profit, Skibbereen)
People Before Profit’s Animal Welfare policies include: Introduce a complete ban on the hunting of wild mammals with hounds, Introduce a complete ban on coursing live hares, Ban fur farming and End badger culling by traps, snares and shooting – http://www.pbp.ie/policies/animal-welfare-policy/
Liam Quaide (Green Party, Midleton)
“I fully support a ban on fox-hunting, hare-coursing and fur farming. My Green Party colleague Mark Cronin who is running in Cork City North West has been very active in the anti-fur farming campaign. Fox-hunting and hare-coursing are perversions of what sport is meant to be about – a contest between equals or near-equals. These activities terrorise defenceless animals for the gratification of a small minority of people.” from an email to ICABS, 16 May 2019.
Other Green Party candidates
Ted Bradley (Green Party)
Catríona Reid (Green Party)
Gordon Reid (Green Party)
The Green Party is in favour of a ban on bloodsports, including fox hunting, hare coursing, hare hunting and mink hunting. It also supports a ban on fur farming and an end to the Department of Agriculture’s cruel snaring and killing of badgers. See the party’s full animal welfare policy document at https://www.greenparty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Green-Party-Animal-Welfare-Policy_June-20151.pdf
Other Social Democrats candidates
Ken Curtin (Social Democrats)
Holly McKeever Cairns (Social Democrats)
The Social Democrats are in favour of a ban on fox hunting, hare coursing and fur farming. The party’s animal welfare policy states: “The Social Democrats strongly advocate animal rights and recognise animals as intelligent, sentient beings capable of complex thought and of experiencing pain and suffering…We are in favour of harsher penalties for animal cruelty” See the full policy at https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/our-policies/
Karen Doyle (Independent4Change)
See the full list of Cork County candidates at
https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/0508/1048198-cork-county-council-candidates/
Find out the views of candidates in other constituencies
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/2019-election-and-animal-cruelty-issues
Find out the views of European election candidates
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2019/03/26/european-election-candidates-and-animal-cruelty-issues/
If you are a candidate and wish to provide a statement outlining your views on animal cruelty issues, please email it to us at info@banbloodsports.com
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