A cattle dealer who put false identity tags on cattle, so they appeared to be animals on which subsidies could be claimed, was jailed for two years at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
The court heard details of how Joe Earley (31), Castle Manor, Drogheda, originally from Co Meath, had specially adapted vice-grips to remove cattle tags and place them on other animals.
By doing this he could increase the value of an animal by changing its identity to that of an animal on which subsidies could still be claimed. He was making a profit of around £100 (€127) per animal.
He also admitted to four counts of possessing cocktails of illegal animal growth hormones for the purpose of sale or supply.
Det Garda Gerry Nohilly, Mullingar, said Earley used the hormones on other people's cattle and offered a service providing cattle and illegal hormones if they wished.
The offences came to light when gardaí and members of the Department of Agriculture's special investigations unit raided a yard at Cadamstown, Broadford, Co Kildare, on June 15th, 2000.
They found a Northern Ireland registered truck in which there were 455 cattle identity cards and 1,000 cattle tags as well as a Department of Agriculture stamp which was stolen from a vet in Trim.
Under the Cattle Movement Monitoring System each animal is given an identity (passport) on its birth which stays with it through its life and records its markings, herd number and whether it has been tested and found clear of bovine TB or brucellosis. An animal found to be disease-free has its passport stamped with the type of stamp found in the lorry. Ten untagged cattle were seized and Earley pleaded guilty to a charge relating to that offence.
On June 20th, his flat and jeep at Rivermill View, Navan, were searched and bottles containing cocktails of two and three types of anabolic steroids, illegal growth hormones, were recovered as well as a syringe containing traces of them.
Garda Nohilly outlined how each male animal gets two subsidies during its lifetime. Earley would buy cattle on which the subsidies had already been claimed and replace the tags on them so they appeared to be other animals that were entitled to one and possible both subsidies. Earley had co-operated fully with gardaí and told them he was making a profit of around £100 per animal and had been doing this for two to three years. He had been using the hormones for about two years.
Mr Brian Flaherty, of the Department's special investigations unit, said the monitoring system had been modified since the offences. The hormones, used to improve muscle mass and therefore the monetary value of cattle, were banned in 1986.
The Government had spent £100 million (€127 million) on schemes to eradicate TB and brucellosis, he said.
Judge Raymond Groarke said Earley had tried to undermine the work of the Department to further the status of Irish beef. He had been motivated by greed.
He imposed two years' imprisonment on each of the six counts, to run concurrently.