The ban on live animals in this year's Christmas crib outside the Mansion House will go ahead despite calls for the "scrooge-like" change to be reversed.
Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy issued a fiery defence of the animal ban from the crib and criticised Fine Gael for an "opportunist political attack" at a meeting of councillors on Monday night. She also told councillors live animals will not be part of the crib this year as the design of the crib is the responsibility of the Lord Mayor of the day.
A life-sized stable with donkeys, goats and sheep has been erected outside the Mansion House as part of the Christmas festivities every year since 1995. Many children living in the city see farm animals for the first time at the crib.
