Minister for Justice Alan Shatter met the Irish Farmers’ Association yesterday to hear concerns about the increasing number of violent rural crimes being committed.
IFA president John Bryan said he had sought a commitment that Garda mobile units would be increased to reassure rural communities.
“Minister Shatter acknowledged the genuine concerns raised by the IFA, and pledged to intensify a number of Garda initiatives aimed at curbing criminals who move into an area and target vulnerable people,” he said.
Mr Bryan said the Minister had also agreed to set up a meeting between the IFA and Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to develop proposals aimed at tackling the problem.
“Our members across the country are extremely concerned by the vicious nature of some attacks on people living in the countryside in recent months. This is borne out in a survey of IFA members which found that almost 40 per cent of members feel less secure in their own homes.”
He said there was a clear need for a single national text-messaging initiative to allow rural communities to report suspicious activity to gardaí .
