There has been no communication from the Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy’s office to the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) regarding her decision to ban its traditional live animal crib at the Mansion House.

The IFA says its partnership with the Lord Mayor to facilitate the traditional live animal crib in the build up to Christmas stretches back to the mid-90s.

The farm association said it is now seeking a meeting with the Lord Mayor on the crib, something which it says has become an “integral part of the pre-Christmas tradition in Dublin”.

“Preparations are already underway for December, when the live animal crib is officially opened by the Lord Mayor and the IFA president,” an IFA spokesperson said.

Decision

A Green Party politician, Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy informed Dublin City Council's protocol committee at its meeting on Thursday of her decision to not have the live animal crib this Christmas. The Mansion House is her prerogative as Lord Mayor.

Member of the protocol committee Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha says he pointed out at the meeting that there was no question of any animal welfare issues at the live animal crib and said it had been run very well by the IFA.

"I do not agree with the Lord Mayor's decision but, again it's her's alone," he said.

'Grinch-like'

In a statement, Fine Gael says its councillors and the Office of Public Works Minister Patrick O’Donovan are “working to reverse the Grinch-like decision to cancel the live animal nativity crib in the capital this Christmas”.

Cllr James Geoghegan, along with Fine Gael colleagues, will put forward a motion for next month’s council meeting that the crib, which has been outside the Mansion House on Dawson Street since 1995, is to be located elsewhere in the capital. Minister O’Donovan said he will be working with the IFA on a new location for the crib which attracts “thousands of children and their families”.

“There cannot be a scrooge-like agenda from any council for children at Christmas time.

“They’re banning donkeys and sheep from outside the Mansion House, but there simply has to be room elsewhere for them this Christmas,” the minister said.