The views of 2019 Local Election Candidates (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown) in relation to animal cruelty issues. Please support compassionate candidates and reject those who defend animal cruelty.
Cllr John F Bailey (Fine Gael, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dún Laoghaire)
“I’d like to see action [being taken against urban foxes]”. In November 2014, he “fully supported” a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Cllr Shay Brennan (Fianna Fail, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dundrum)
“Naturally I oppose cruelty to animals” from a tweet to ICABS, 12th August 2014.
Cllr Anne Colgan (Independent, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dundrum)
“l favour a ban on hare coursing and fox hunting.” from an email to ICABS, August 2016.
Eva Dowling (Green Party, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Stillorgan)
“As a lifelong vegetarian, and now a vegan for several years, animal cruelty is a topic on which I feel very strongly on. I am completely and utterly against all forms of blood sports. Recently I took part in a protest with PETA in Pamplona against the Running of the Bulls festival (San Fermin) and bullfighting more generally. If elected, I will do everything in my power to make blood sports a thing of the past.
Fur farming is a sickening practice that has been allowed to continue for far too long. I firmly believe that the only reason fur farming has been allowed to continue, is because the vast majority of Irish people don’t know that it happens within our borders. I believe that it is vital for us to spread information about this practice, so that the people of Ireland can see what has been going on behind closed doors.
I firmly believe that all forms of animal cruelty need to stop. I also believe that the Council could do more to protect the wildlife who also live in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, but don’t have a vote.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is a great organisation, and I wholeheartedly support their work.” from an email to ICABS 17 May 2019.
Cllr. Daniel Dunne (Green Party, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dundrum)
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
Cllr Mary Fayne (Fine Gael, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dún Laoghaire)
“As an animal lover I am of course against blood sports” from a tweet to ICABS, 5th August 2014. In November 2014, she voted against a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Sinéad Gibney (Social Democrats, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Blackrock)
“I fully support a ban on blood sports and I’m opposed to all forms of animal cruelty.” (19 May 2019)
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/
Cllr Melissa Halpin (People Before Profit Alliance, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dún Laoghaire)
“As a socialist I completely abhor animal cruelty and all blood sports. In particular I am against the kind of intensive farming practices that see animals being imprisoned and force fed. Unfortunately, I believe that as long as we have a society that is driven by the profit motive, we will continue to see these practices and for that reason I think it is right to make this an election issue.” from an email to ICABS, April 2014.
Cllr Mary Hanafin (Fianna Fail, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Blackrock)
As a TD in 2005, Mary Hanafin was one of 62 Fianna Fail TDs who voted against the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill 2004. In November 2014, she voted in favour of a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
“From WikiLeaks: How the USA got access to Ireland’s secrets”, Irish Independent, May 31 2011: “A leaked cable reveals how former minister and current Fianna Fail vice-president Mary Hanafin briefed the American Embassy on tense ongoing coalition negotiations. The word “PROTECT” appears beside her name in the cable, meaning her identity and/or her comments were not to be made public. Ms Hanafin last night confirmed she gave the briefing at the behest of US Ambassador Dan Rooney. According to the dispatch, Ms Hanafin made a number of derogatory comments about her Green Party coalition partners. “She said she had the impression that, if some of the Greens had their way, the Programme for Government would emphasize ‘hares, stags and badgers while everyone else in the country is drowning in this economy’,” Ambassador Rooney told Washington in the cable. Ms Hanafin refused to say last night if she stood over the remarks attributed to her.”
Cllr Deirdre Kingston (Labour, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Blackrock)
In November 2014, she voted against a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Cllr Hugh Lewis (People Before Profit Alliance, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Killiney-Shankill)
“As a vegetarian, I believe that all forms of cruelty to animals is unacceptable.”
Cllr Lettie McCarthy (Labour, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Glencullen-Sandyford)
“I have the greatest respect for animals and oppose all cruelty.” from an email to ICABS, April 2014.
Michael Merrigan (Independent, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dún Laoghaire)
“I am totally against blood sports.” from a tweet to ICABS, May 2014.
Deirdre Ní Fhloinn (Green Party, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Glencullen-Sandyford)
“I am happy to support the work of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports in promoting a ban on fox hunting, hare coursing, and fur farming, along with my Green Party colleagues. I am utterly opposed to animal cruelty and the use and harm of animals for sport and entertainment.” (email to ICABS, 21 May 2019)
Cllr Sorcha Nic Cormaic (Sinn Fein, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dundrum)
In November 2014, she voted against a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Cllr Peter O’Brien (Labour, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Dundrum)
“I fully support the banning of hare coursing and fox hunting. Putting an animal through undue stress and torture is not a form of entertainment and should be condemned by all.” from an email to ICABS, August 2016.
Cllr Shane O’Brien (Sinn Fein, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Killiney-Shankill)
In November 2014, he voted against a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Cllr Denis O Callaghan (Labour, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Killiney-Shankill)
“I am opposed to animal cruelty in the areas of fox-hunting and hare coursing.” from an email to ICABS, April 2014.
Séafra Ó Faoláin (Green Party, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Blackrock)
“My views are in line with the Green Party’s!”
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
Danielle O’Rourke (People Before Profit, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Killiney-Shankill)
“People Before Profit aim to be compassionate in all that we do, and that of course includes the treatment of animals. I’ve been vegetarian for half my life, and I am proud to be in a compassionate party.”
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/
Una Power (Green Party, Killiney-Shankill)
“I am very proud to be a member of the Green Party, which has long called for an end to blood sports and fur farming in Ireland. Sport and fashion shouldn’t be used as an excuse for animal cruelty. I am also proud to have worked with Deputy Catherine Martin and the Green Party on supporting calls for animal welfare classes to be provided in schools.” from an email to ICABS, 17 May 2019.
David Quinn (Social Democrats, Dún Laoghaire)
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/
Cllr Carrie Smyth (Labour, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Killiney-Shankill)
“I do not like to see cruelty to animals.” from an email to ICABS, April 2014.
Cllr Ossian Smyth (Green Party, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dún Laoghaire)
“I am against animal cruelty.” from a tweet to ICABS, 5th August 2014. In November 2014, he voted against a council motion which described urban foxes as a “problem” and which called for action to be taken to deal with them.
Cllr Barry Ward (Fine Gael, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Blackrock)
In 2014, Cllr Ward proposed a motion calling on the National Parks and Wildlife Service to address the urban fox “problem”.
Other People Before Profit candidates
Lola Hynes (People Before Profit)
Cllr. Dave O’Keeffe (People Before Profit)
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (People Before Profit)
Rachel Prendergast Spollen (People Before Profit)
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/
See the full list of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown candidates at
https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2019/2019/0505/1047629-dun-laoghaire-rathdown-county-council/
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
Ban Bloodsports 
Leave a Reply