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THE IRISH CATTLE and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) has called on the government to take action on the increasing problem of sheep thefts around the country.
The ICSA said thefts are happening on a weekly basis with large numbers of sheep being taken from farms.
“In the last six months up to 200 sheep were taken in Roundwood in Co Wicklow, around 80 were taken in Donegal and they’re worth about €100 each to the farmer,” Paul Brady, ICSA National Sheep Committee Chairman told TheJournal.ie.
“It’s very well orchestrated, it’s not being done by your ordinary Joe soap, there are gangs going around specialising in this and they have the know-how.”
“And where are you meant to go when it happens?” he said. “If you go to the Gardaí all that is, is a counselling service.”
“There has been not a bit of progress on this and talking to the Department of Agriculture you hit a stonewall, they just don’t want to get into it.”
In response to Brady’s comments, the Department of Agriculture said it provides Gardaí with any assistance possible in relation to investigations into stolen sheep and has helped secure successful prosecutions.
Brady said one of the main issues of contention was the tagging system which he would like changed.
“There are far too many tags being issued to some farmers, especially compared to the system for cattle,” he said. “If you have 100 ewes you can order 1000 tags which leaves a lot of extra tags meaning stolen sheep can be re-tagged.”
Brady also said there is a need for a sheep database similar to that of cattle to help keep track of herds.
“We’ve been talking about a pilot scheme as well for some timec to put bolus, like micro chips with dogs, into the stomach, then when they’re slaughtered we can identify where they came out of and there’d be a higher chance of being caught.”
The department said flock owners who are concerned about the security of their sheep have the option to identify their lambs with a bolus set.
Brady said the thefts are having a “big impact” on farmers because it is pulling back the prices for ordinary farmers and will continue to affect them until changes are made.
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The Healy Rae’s are a national embarrassment.
@carol mullen: Why ? Because they get the job done ? I’m not from the constituency they’re from so they probably won’t do much for me,but why do the people of Kerry keep voting for them
@carol mullen: Only to those whose heads are too posh to push. They respond to their constituents concerns and deliver unlike the Social Democrats and Labour party who run to the hills In case they be held accountable in fairness to the Greens at least they took their place they’ve taken their beating which was unfair given they stepped up and influenced government policy.
@Paul Harte: They claim they get everything done but it is not them at all.
@Gary Kearney: So who gets it done. I understand that they don’t physically go out and do it themselves, but who is getting it done so. If more TDs worked for the constituents like these 2 and just interested in being in photos and actually did what the voters need and want, we’d be a lot better off. Yes, they are well paid for it, but are they getting anything more than the useless TDs who do nothing other than look after themselves.
If there is 1euro in agreement for the people of Kerry, there is another one in it for Healy-Rae’s
Milking the country they are.
Make kilgarvan great again
They play the oldest game in the book. All politics is local and blame it on anybody else, particularly Dublin. Works like a dream.
They complain about schemes and policies the government run and yet make millions out of them.
We can’t laugh at trump when we have e the Healy raes in politics here
Could they be any worse than Mehole and Simson
@Paul Harte: Thankfully our voters rejected being ruled by the Dark rooms of Belfast and those living in a foreign country.
Healy Raes and Mattie Mcgraw are among the few politicians that actually care about doing the job they elected for instead of rattling on about other countries business.
@gregory pym: And Michael Collins isn’t to bad either and the guy in Limerick who’s in with Michael, his name escapes me, is he Donaghue or something like that 0
so the healy raes and mucheal lowery will decide who our next government will be, we’ll its always great to have friends in low places Michael and Simon
These two should not be allowed near politics. They are a national disgrace
In fairness, he cannot say anything else now can he!
have your say