Date: 30 March 2022
Green Party TD Steven Matthews has welcomed the passing of a Bill that will ban fur farms in Ireland. This has been a long-term policy goal for the Green Party and following extended Debate in both the Dáil and the Seanad, it will be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins in the coming weeks. Discussing the news, Deputy Matthews said:
“This has been Green Party Policy for as long as I have been a member and beyond that. It was an issue that was frequently raised with me on the doors during the General Election and as a Green TD, people expected action. Ensuring that a ban on fur farming was part of the Programme for Government was one of the many Green wins we achieved and it’s hugely welcome to see the Bill progressing to be signed into law shortly.
“Banning fur farming is a vital step in the protection of animal welfare and puts us in line with similar legislation being implemented across Europe. Animal welfare is an issue which has always been at the heart of Green Party policy, and the ban on fur farming is one of a number of key policies which would help to protect animals in Ireland and improve their treatment in a tangible way.”
“The Green Party has campaigned on this issue for many years and polling has consistently shown that the vast majority of Irish people do not support fur farming and it’s absolutely the right thing that they are being closed. Despite the best efforts of animal welfare officers, no welfare standards or inspection regimes can prevent welfare problems being encountered regularly on fur farms.
“This Bill has received the support of the leading animal welfare groups and the representative body for veterinary surgeons in Ireland. I have had the opportunity to meet with many of these groups in recent months to discuss this Bill amongst other issues and I look forward to future engagements on the vital area of improving animal welfare and rights in this country, concluded Deputy Matthews.
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