Union councillors have made a pre-emptive ethical proposal to prohibit the sale of Foie Gras at the Union.
The Union does not currently sell Foie Gras, but President Paul Tobin asked councillors to agree that the controversial issue should always be discussed first before anything goes ahead.
Foie Gras is the liver of a duck or goose which has been specially fattened for human consumption.
Animal rights groups have traditionally deemed its sale unethical because the birds are often force fed far more than they would consume in the wild or in captivity.
The Union’s Ethical and Environmental Committee raised objections to the “extreme animal cruelty” involved in the food’s production.
The committee’s spokesperson said it would be “progressive of the Union to take a stance” on the sale of Foie Gras now to show “that students care about ethical issues”.
Paul Tobin added: “I wanted to make sure that students felt part of the democratic process, so I said I’d raise the issue at Council. Should it ever be suggested that Foie Gras be sold at the Union, it needs to go through Council first.”