The Northern Ireland Executive’s recently approved Programme for Government (PfG) 2024-2027 sets out goals aimed at improving the well-being of people across the region. However, concerns are mounting over the potential negative impact of Alliance Party MLA John Blair’s renewed attempt to ban hunting wild mammals with dogs—a move that risks undermining key aspects of the government’s priorities, particularly in relation to rural communities, economic sustainability, and biodiversity management.
Blair’s Private Member’s Bill seeks to outlaw a practice that has been a cornerstone of rural life for generations. Hunting with dogs plays a crucial role in wildlife management, pest control and maintaining the delicate balance of Northern Ireland’s countryside. The Programme for Government acknowledges the importance of supporting rural communities and sustaining their way of life, yet this bill directly threatens the traditions, culture, and livelihoods of thousands of people involved in country sports as well as the welfare of livestock and biodiversity.
Having recently met John Blair, Countryside Alliance Ireland found it evident that he did not fully grasp the consequences of his bill. For example, the proposed legislation could have significant repercussions for the shooting community. False or misguided allegations of hunting with dogs could result in firearms being removed for a protracted amount of time and the loss of terrier work would impact on the ability to protect of game birds.
Countryside Alliance Ireland (CAI) has also warned that the proposed bill does not take into account the deeply rooted heritage of hunting, nor does it acknowledge the positive economic and environmental impact of field sports. The rural economy depends on industries such as hunting, shooting, and fishing, which collectively contribute millions of pounds annually to the economy. Restricting legal country pursuits would not only alienate a significant portion of the rural population but could also negatively affect jobs in associated sectors, from agriculture to hospitality.
Effective predator control is essential to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Fox hunting, in particular, helps prevent the overpopulation of predators that threaten livestock, ground-nesting birds, and other vulnerable species. If hunting with dogs were to be banned, alternative methods of control would increase with significant negative animal welfare consequences.
The Programme for Government emphasises sustainability and environmental protection, yet eliminating a proven method of wildlife management contradicts these objectives. The reality is that hunting with dogs is a humane and efficient way to control certain species, and banning it would disrupt the delicate ecological balance that rural landowners and conservationists have carefully maintained for years.
When Blair’s previous attempt to introduce a similar bill in 2021 was defeated in the Northern Ireland Assembly (by 45 votes to 38), it was clear that the legislation did not have broad political support. Now, with the Programme for Government seeking to address pressing issues such as healthcare, education, and economic recovery, reintroducing the hunting ban is an unnecessary distraction from more urgent priorities.
Countryside Alliance Ireland believes that policymakers should be focusing on delivering real benefits for Northern Ireland, rather than engaging in ideological battles that serve only to divide rural and urban communities. The government must not allow itself to be influenced by anti-hunting activists who disregard the expertise of the independent inquires of Lord Burns and Bonomy and the experience of those who have managed the countryside for generations.
CAI urges the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that any legislation aligns with the Programme for Government’s commitment to fairness, economic growth, and rural sustainability. A ban on hunting with dogs would do nothing to improve animal welfare and would, in fact, create further issues regarding responsible wildlife management.
The Executive must take into account the views of those who live and work in the Northern Ireland countryside and not Chris Packham supporters from all around the world before allowing such legislation to move forward. If the government is truly committed to a fair and inclusive Northern Ireland, it should reject John Blair’s proposed bill and instead support evidence-based policies that respect rural communities, protect biodiversity, and contribute to the overall well-being of the country.