After recent campaigning from animal rights groups and TDs, fur farming is set to be banned in Ireland.
According to the Irish Examiner, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed is set to bring a proposal before the government on banning the cruel practice.
This proposal will phase out fur farms across the country which has already happened in 14 other EU countries.
Solidarity-PBP TD Ruth Coppinger has long campaigned for fur farms to be banned, has received support from across party divisions and is set to reintroduce her ban on fur farms by July 3.
Mr Creed is seeking a robust and stable shutdown of fur farming activity that currently employs around 100 people, mainly in Kerry, Offaly and Donegal.
Thus current position on fur farming is a remarkable turnaround from just a few months ago.
In February 2019, Creed said that the government had no plans to ban fur farming. He said: ‘Notwithstanding the position in other countries, given the recommendations from the review group, there are no plans to introduce a ban on fur farming in this country.’
Having secured support from the opposition parties, Ruth Coppinger now wants Fine Gael to support the bill in its second phase.
She said: ‘As solitary, wild, and semi-aquatic creatures, packing mink into metal cages in groups is alien and unnatural.’