Gormley quells FF revolt over bill

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley has made peace with Fianna Fáil backbenchers through a complicated legislative juggling act with his new law to ban puppy farms.

He negotiated with Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith that the same welfare rules that will soon apply to puppy farms will also cover owners of greyhounds with six or more bitches.

Crucially for the rural lobby, the greyhounds’ welfare will be governed under an amendment to a piece of 62-year-old legislation rather than the new bill.