Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

An Animal Health and Welfare Bill has recently been introduced into the Oireachtas.  Countryside Alliance Ireland welcomes any legislation that aims to improve the standard of animal welfare in Ireland.  However, we are concerned with the ambiguity and inconsistency of this Bill and the potential opportunity this may provide for unsympathetic parties to unnecessary curtail countrysports, and indeed diminish the level of welfare afforded to animals at present.   

We strongly feel the draft Bill needs serious revision to provide greater clarity and remove the potential for misinterpretation and abuse.  CAI recently contributed to a submission undertaken by F.A.C.E. Ireland to outline several organisations’ concerns relating to the Bill. 

As an organisation that campaigns for the countryside and the rural way of life, CAI has also submitted a brief; both to the Minister himself and to the Select Sub-committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, highlighting the issues that we believe require revision. 

Our prime concern is the lack of provision within the Bill to allow for the prophylactic docking of working dogs’ tails.  This is an essential animal welfare tool and we strongly believe it is imperative that a provision be included within the Animal Health and Welfare Bill to allow for the continuation of this procedure.   

We will continue to liaise with the Department and keep our members up to date.

The National Association of Sporting Rifle & Pistol Clubs (NASRPC) will hold a National Competition in Harbour House Sports Club on Saturday 26th May 2012. 

There will be many disciplines including benchrest rifle, smallbore and centrefire pistol and rifle, and M1 gallery rifle. 

The entry fee is €10 per discipline or €50 discounted entry for the entire match, both payable on the day.  There is also a 50% discount for pensioners, students and unemployed. All NASRPC competitions are open competitions and registration will be at 10am. 

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This year we are once again offering discounted tickets for the National Countrysports Fair to all CAI members. The two day Fair takes place in Moira Demesne on Saturday 26^th and Sunday 27^th May 2012.  To avail of this members offer, please phone the Lisburn office on 028 9263 9911 or the Courtlough office on 01690 3610.