North Tipperary IFA meets Minister for Justice on tackling rural crime

North Tipperary IFA has met Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan on rural crime and how it can be tackled.

The meeting followed on from a major IFA meeting in Nenagh last November on rural crime and its effects on local communities, especially the farming sector.

Among the issues discussed were the use of community CCTV and the issues around controlling.

The minister said he would like to see more uptake by local communities of the €2m available to set up community CCTV, under which communities contribute 40% of the cost.

According to Imelda Walsh, chair, North Tipperary IFA, Minister Flanagan stated that it was the responsibility of the data officer in the local authority to deal with this.

Tipperary County Council has previously stated that data protection should the responsibility with the Garda Siochana.

The minister’s views will come as a disappointment to many local communities, especially around Littleton, which has been hit by roving criminals .

Local councillor Sean Ryan has already stated that the CCTV cameras installed in the village over one year ago have yet to be switched on.

The data issue has also been cited by the council as the reason why CCTV has not been installed in Borisokane.

As regards the bail laws, for which there was new legislation in 2017, Ms Walsh said that they were now seeing the results whereby repeat offenders can be refused bail.

“We also discussed free legal aid and it’s an area the minister is looking at whereby if the perpetrator has assets these will be taken into account,” she said.

Ms Walsh said that the IFA had suggested that, in particular, reoffenders, irrespective of means, should be obliged to contribute towards free legal aid.

One of the main issues raised at last November’s meeting was people trespassing on lands with lurchers for illegal hare coursing and hunting.

“The minister felt that this is covered by the Public Order Act of 1994 and the Prohibition of Forcible Entry and Occupation Act of 1971 and that they were sufficiently robust,” she said.

Minister Flanagan told the delegation that resources of €1.76bn were available to an Garda Siochana. He stated also that there was a focus on a more visible Garda presence, with a further 600 gardaí in 2019 and, by 2021, there will be a force of 21,000.

Clive Clarke, Dunkerrin, spoke of having been broken into seven times and being almost a prisoner in his own home.