Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture Martin Kenny has said the party continues to support rural country pursuits, including fishing, shooting and drag or trail hunting.

The comments come after Sinn Féin members voted to support a ban on fox hunting in Ireland at the party's Ard Fheis over the weekend.

The vote followed a heated debate at the Belfast gathering with numerous contributions from those for and against the motions.

Fox hunting

Delegates rejected an initial motion which would have supported enhanced regulation for fox hunting.

The party then backed a motion recognising that Sinn Féin has "unwavering support for rural culture and traditions, the right of farmers to defend their livestock from predators such as foxes and dogs, and the need to protect hunting and fishing activities for the purpose of obtaining food or managing species populations".

The motion outlined that the party accepts "that the hunting of foxes using dogs for the sole purpose of leisure is unavoidably cruel and by necessity inflicts terror, exhaustion, irrevocable injury, and death on the foxes involved".

It added that Sinn Féin would "support a ban on the practice of fox hunting with dogs for the sole purpose of leisure, and mandates the party to engage with rural communities to ensure that such a ban is introduced in a way that does not unduly impact rural life".

The motion cited a poll carried out by Red C in 2019 which found that 74% of rural dwellers oppose fox hunting.

Last December, a bill seeking to ban fox hunting in Ireland, proposed by People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger, was defeated in the Dáil.

124 TDs, including Sinn Féin members voted against, with 24 voting in favour of amending the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 to ban the hunting of a fox or foxes.

Sinn Féin

In a statement to Agriland, Deputy Martin Kenny, said "Sinn Féin policy going forward from the Ard Fheis is to prohibit fox hunting on horseback with hounds.

"There are no other changes to our policies in relation to hunting or any other rural pursuits.

"Sinn Féin believes that animal welfare is fundamental in all these country pursuits and knows that most people involved in these activities adhere to the highest standards of animal welfare," he said.

Rural Ireland

Deputy Kenny said that Sinn Féin has "an ever-increasing membership in rural Ireland".

"We as a party listen to those families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and that farmers are struggling with the extortionate price of green diesel and other input costs.

"These are issues that are affecting farm families at present which we in Sinn Féin has been calling on government to provide supports to the Irish agri-sector to help alleviate the financial burden that many are currently struggling with," he added.

However, Countryside Alliance Ireland warned that Sinn Féin's "sudden shift" on fox hunting "raises serious questions about whether the party still understands rural Ireland".

The Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (CACS) welcomed the passing of the motion at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis.

CACS said that it and other groups will now "lobby Fine Gael and Fianna Fail intensively to follow Sinn Fein's example on this issue".