SEVEN FIANNA Fáil backbenchers spoke against the legislation prohibiting deer hunting with packs of dogs.

The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010, which was introduced by Minister for the Environment John Gormley, applies to the Meath-based Ward Union Hunt, which is the only group of hunters hunting deer with hounds in the State. The House will vote on the Bill next week.

Mary Wallace (Meath East) warned that the ban represented a threat to the rural economy.

“It will result in further job losses in rural Ireland, but most of all it will have a disproportionate effect on the Ward Union Hunt,’’ she added. She said she simply could not agree that the Bill was needed for animal welfare and public safety reasons.

Johnny Brady (Meath West) warned that banning a hunt to address public safety concerns was over-reacting. He added that he wanted to warn the Minister, the Taoiseach and members of the Government “that they cannot depend on my support whether this Government lasts two months or two years . . . if anything else is tinkered with you have not my support’’. During exchanges with Opposition TDs, Mr Brady indicated that he would be supporting the Bill.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East) questioned the constitutionality of the legislation and suggested that President Mary McAleese should refer it to the Council of State. “Why are we legislating to target one particular hunt?’’ he asked.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South) said that an assessment should be carried out on the impact of the legislation.

“I do not believe that there has been proper consultation,’’ he added. He said the Bill was “not fair to the decent, plain people of Ireland’’.

Seán Power (FF, Kildare South) said they were proposing to ban an activity that was going on for generations. He warned that if the legislation was passed, then “these men and women who decided to continue this hobby will shortly become criminals’’.

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North) said that horse, hound and deer were synonymous with rural life.

“It was with regret that I learned last October that the ban on the 200-year tradition of the Ward Union Hunt in Co Meath was part of the newly agreed programme for government,’’ she added.

“It was brought about with absolutely no negotiation or consultation with the Fianna Fáil backbenchers, which makes it all the more difficult to proceed in supporting the Bill now.’’

Michael Kennedy (FF, Dublin North) said there should be an impact assessment undertaken on the issue. There were four direct employees involved, with a business turnover of €1.4 million.

Introducing the Bill, Mr Gormley said said the decision to introduce the legislation was not taken lightly.

“As deputies are aware, there is only one staghound pack in the State, which operates in Co Meath,’’ he added.

“When I became Minister in June 2007, I had concerns from both an animal welfare and a public safety point of view relating to the operation of the hunt meetings operated by the hunt club in question.’’

He believed, he added, that those concerns were shared by some of his predecessors as Minister.

Mr Gormley said the hunt club in question maintained a herd of domesticated red deer in purpose-built deer parks that adjoined their hunt kennels.

“I consider that it is not acceptable to allow a hunt with hounds and horses of what is essentially a farm animal,’’ said Mr Gormley.

“We do not consider it acceptable to set dogs in pursuit of any other farm animal.’’

Mr Gormley said there were public safety issues involved, as it was simply not possible for the hunt to prevent deer in flight from leaping through hedges on to public roads.

“I recall that there was an incident last December during one of their hunt meetings when a deer had to be put down after it had leaped on to a road and collided with a car,’’ the Minister said.