A bill to ban fox hunting is due to be introduced into the Dáil today by Ruth Coppinger. 

The People Before Profit-Solidarity TD is seeking to amend the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which currently contains an exemption that allows fox hunting. 

In its current form, the bill would ban fox hunting, as well as trail hunting - in which hounds follow a scent that has been laid for them. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Council Against Blood Sports spokesperson Aideen Yourell said it is important both practices are banned. 

“In England, trail hunting - which kind of replaced fox hunting - didn’t work,” she said. 

“When they were going out, the fox hunters, they would come across a live fox - that often happened - and live foxes were hunted during trail hunts. 

“They’re trying to ban that in England and close off that loophole.” 

A fox in the Cooley Mountains in Ireland. Image: Enda Flynn / Alamy

Minister for Farm Safety Michael Healy-Rae said he hoped to see ‘common sense prevail’ and that TDs would reject the Coppinger bill. 

He described hunting as a “very important” method of controlling the fox population. 

“Foxes prey, not just on young lambs and fowls but they also pose a great threat to many of our native birds,” he said. 

“Such as the curlew, the corncrake, red grouse, the grey partridge, the hen harriers, who we are very anxious to protect, who are an endangered species in this country. 

“We know that we have hen harrier areas of ground that are protected, for example, when it comes to wind farms.” 

A curlew is seen in the Timoleague Estuary in Cork in April 2023. Picture by: AG News/Alamy Live News

Minister Healy-Rae continued that foxes are one of a number of species that “have to be kept under control”. 

“I remember many years ago, for example, in places like Dublin city, it was rare enough you’d see a fox,” he said. 

“Because there is no control, not only are the foxes getting bigger in places like Dublin but their numbers have exploded.” 

When asked if he thought that fox hunting was cruel, Minister Healy-Rae said that “life can be cruel sometimes”. 

“It’s like everything in life, you need a balance,” he said. 

“If this bill were to be implemented in its totality, it would create an imbalance.” 

'Fox hunting is indefensible'

Ms Yourell said she strongly disagreed. 

“Fox hunting is indefensibly cruel and it had to be exempted from prosecution in the Animal Welfare Act - imagine that,” she said. 

“It is accepted to be cruel, it’s indefensible to take a big pack of hounds out into the countryside and hound a little wild dog around the countryside for hours on end for sport. 

“It’s not for controlling anything, it’s for sport and entertainment. 

“It’s a sadistic, cruel activity.” 

Fox hunting was banned in Scotland in 2002 and in England and Wales two-years later. 

It is legal in Northern Ireland.

Main image: A split of a group of hounds and fox. Pictures by: Alamy.com.