Govt votes down fur-farming ban bill
The Government has voted down a private member's bill put forward by the Green Party in an effort to outlaw fur-farming.
The proposed legislation was defeated in the Dáil by 67 votes to 50.
At present, six mink farms are in operation in Ireland, one of which also raises and slaughters arctic and silver foxes.
The farms rear tens of thousands of animals every year, many of which spend their entire lives in cages.
Government TDs claimed that abolishing these operations would damage the Irish economy but the opposition argued that the industry only provides a small number of jobs.
They also said surveys had found that a majority of Irish people were opposed to fur-farming and argued animals should not have to suffer for the sake of fashion.
