Sir, - Permit me to reply to two letters which appeared in your edition of September 9th. How dare Mr John Fitzgerald's oneman campaign portray itself as a defender of the Irish Poultry Industry. This is the same Mr Fitzgerald who, in the December 18th edition of the Donegal People's Press, launched a scathing attack on the Christmas turkey industry. Mr Fitzgerald simply cannot have it both ways. The wellbeing of agriculture generally is a matter of complete indifference to Mr Fitzgerald's "campaign".
Indeed, in The Irish Times in April, 1995, Mr Fitzgerald referred to live cattle exporters and farmers as "bog fascists". Similarly, the campaign has variously described country sports followers as "twisted headbangers" and "pompous clowns".
The reality is simple. This so-called campaign is anti-rural. Mr Fitzgerald is no friend of the poultry farmer. Accordingly, his comments on infected pheasants should be seen for what they are: an attempt to hijack an isolated incident in Northern Ireland in order to further an anti-rural agenda.
Ms Mary Anne Bartlett's letter is rather curious. However, her attempts to protray the animal welfare lobby as pro-rural are, to put it mildly, unconvincing. As an organisation deeply rooted in rural Ireland, the National Association of Regional Game Councils has consistently argued that the animal welfare lobby is driven by an explicitly anti-rural ethos underpinned by a fundamentalist agenda. This lobby seeks the abolition of all country sports, including game-shooting and fishing. Ultimately, the imposition of a vegetarian diet on society is sought. Animal welfare organisations tend to hide this. The achievement of this fundamentalist agenda would destroy the social, economic and ecological fabric of rural Ireland. And those of us who live in rural Ireland are not prepared to be lectured from on high by those who do not understand the rural way of life.
For its part the National Association of Regional Game Councils will continue to expose the fundamentalist agenda of the animal welfare lobby. The anti-rural nature of this lobby will be highlighted. And we pledge ourselves to remind those who are self-appointed to moral pedestals that the foundations may be less than secure. -Yours, etc.,
From Anthony O'Halloran
National PRO, National Association of Regional Game Councils, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.