A MOTION TO ban the use of public land by wild-animal circuses passed through Kildare County Council yesterday evening.

The motion, which was tabled by Sinn Feín councillor Sorcha O’Neill, received unanimous support from the councillors present.

Next month councillors will vote again on finalising the ban on animal circuses – although this is expected to pass without complication.

Private land

However – this ban will not be extended to private land.

A wild animal circus could still potentially appear – as long as they keep their act away from public premises.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Sinn Feín councillor Sorcha O’Neill – who introduced the motion – said:

I am a animal lover – I am brand new to politics but I have never really agreed with circuses and I did not know that this was happening on our doorsteps.

On the issue of animal circuses using private land, O’Neill said:

It is possible [for circuses to use private land] and it is something that I am looking into for my next motion. I want to go as far as I can to protect the animals on this. If there is something I can do on private land, I will do it.

Central Government 

As part of the motion passed yesterday Kildare County Council will write to the Government at a national level requesting that all animal circuses are banned.

In a 2012 report carried out on behalf of the Captive Animals’ Protective Society found that, while EU law had prohibited animals imports for being used in circuses in some circumstances, “it would not be out of the question to see more animals being introduced in the future if legislation is not enacted to prohibit it”.

Read: Kildare may have seen its last ever animal circus in the county

Also: ‘I joined the circus to escape The Troubles’