Countryside Alliance Ireland welcomes Wednesday's decisive and convincing defeat in Dáil Éireann of Deputy Ruth Coppinger TD’s Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill, a legislative attempt that would have outlawed one of Ireland’s long-standing countryside traditions. Despite intense urban media campaigning and misplaced political enthusiasm, common sense has prevailed, safeguarding rural culture, heritage, and practical wildlife management. We want to sincerely thank everyone who contacted their TDs to oppose this ban and the TDs who voted against this Bill.

This Bill, introduced under the guise of animal welfare but rooted in ideology rather than evidence, failed to resonate with those who live and work on the land. It proposed to outlaw legal and highly regulated fox hunting activities, misrepresenting them as cruel when, in reality, hunting plays a valuable role in countryside life and species management.

Countryside Alliance Ireland Director Gary McCartney said:

“Yesterday's vote is a victory for rural Ireland, for communities who understand the land, who understand wildlife management, and who refuse to have their way of life dictated by those with no experience of the countryside.”

Out of step with rural and national priorities

This victory in the Republic comes amid ongoing controversy over Alliance Party MLA John Blair’s attempts to reintroduce a similarly misguided bill in Northern Ireland, which seeks to ban hunting with dogs. Just like Coppinger’s proposal, Blair’s initiative has been widely criticised for being detached from rural realities, driven by ideology rather than evidence, and disconnected from what people on the island of Ireland actually want.

Countryside Alliance Ireland has repeatedly highlighted that Blair’s proposals:

• Are underpinned by a flawed consultation with minimal local engagement, where a large percentage of respondents were not resident in Northern Ireland, a process that cannot legitimately guide policy affecting rural livelihoods.
• Threaten the jobs and businesses that depend on lawful countryside activities, from hunts staff and veterinarians to farriers and feed suppliers.
• Risk diverting legislative focus away from bread and butter issues that truly matter to rural families, such as farm viability, infrastructure, and services.

In the words of CAI, Blair’s pursuit of a ban is out of step with the priorities of people in Northern Ireland and rural Ireland alike, an obsession that demands scarce political time for a matter of narrow interest rather than universal concern.

A rural voice for a united Ireland priority

Countryside Alliance Ireland believes the debate over hunting legislation has illuminated a deeper truth: policy must be rooted in lived experience, respect for rural traditions and balanced evidence. Attempting to impose bans that undermine responsible countryside activities only deepens divisions between urban political agendas and rural realities.

Today’s defeat of the Coppinger bill should serve as a clear message, not just in Dublin, but in Belfast, Stormont and across the island, that rural communities expect respect, not marginalisation. Policymakers should focus on strengthening rural economies, improving services, and supporting sustainable land management that benefits all communities.

Countryside Alliance Ireland stands ready to work with legislators, stakeholders, and wider society to ensure that future policy decisions reflect the voices of those who earn their living from the countryside and who cherish Ireland’s natural heritage.