Next Time, we need a Free Vote!

I understand that Alliance MLA John Blair is planning to put forward a Bill to Ban the Hunting and Killing of Hare, Deer and Fox with packs of Dogs. If so, I'm sure he will have watched the recent fiasco in the Dáil with great interest.

No doubt he will have paid particular attention to how the wording of the Bill in Dublin was twisted by the Pro Hunting lobby to deceive and imply that the Shooting of Foxes was also included in the Ban, which of course it wasn't, in a scurrilous attempt to mislead and garner more support from the farming / shooting community and their associates to oppose the Bill.

It will therefore be vital that John is very careful with how he words his Bill, to ensure that there is no wiggle room for misinterpretation, which might allow attempts at skulduggery by pro hunt supporters.

Following the vote in the Dáil, it was rather shameful to see the list of those 124 TDs who were proud to support, encourage and be seen to be associated with this quintessentially English Tradition of prancing around on horseback, posing as English Landlords in their wee red jackets, following Hounds which are all descended from English Hounds originally brought to Ireland 200 years ago by those English Landlords, many of whom caused so much misery to the rural people of Ireland. Perhaps those TDs have forgotten about all the poverty, evictions and forced emigration, which can be laid at the door of many of those old English Landlords. .. Oh, such a noble tradition for a loyal Irishman to perpetuate. .. A sad day for Ireland.

However, to be fair to many of those TDs, it is my understanding that the TDs of the major parties were actually bound by the party Whip, so had no choice but to vote against the Bill, so it's probably fairer to say that it's those three major parties who should be hanging their heads in shame.

In any case, I'm sure the lesson has been learned, so it vital that both John Blair up here and Ruth Coppinger, down in Dublin, do their level best to ensure that MLAs & TDs are allowed a Free Vote, the next time Bills like this are presented.

Go maire an sionnach go deo.