An ICSA survey, undertaken in conjunction with Waterford Institute of Technology, indicates that two-thirds of Irish farming families have been affected by crime relating to their farming enterprise.
Speaking as results emerged from ICSA’s National Agriculture Crime Survey [pdf 1.59MB], ICSA president Patrick Kent described the figures as startling and commented “The results of the survey reveal that the issue of agricultural crime is a far bigger issue than official Garda statistics would suggest. They would also suggest that the courts have adopted a far too lenient approach to offenders, particularly to repeat offenders. The rural community believes that the judicial system provides virtually no deterrent to this type of crime.”
The survey was devised by Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh, a lecturer in Law and Criminology and Louise Walsh, a lecturer in Accounting and Finance, both from the Waterford Institute of Technology. The study examines crimes that occur solely on farms or relating to farming activities.
Part 1 of the report provides data on the incidence of agricultural crime in Ireland. Reports two and three will focus on the data relating to agricultural crime reporting authorities, costs of agricultural crime to the farm business and crime prevention measures employed by farmers.
ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock said “The survey results are in keeping with the feedback I am getting from farmers all around the country. The ordinary decent people of rural Ireland are outraged that criminals seem to be acting with impunity. Even where insurance is in place, premiums are always at risk of rising significantly as a result of this type of crime.
Worse still is that farmers are expected to fund expensive deterrents such as electric gates and security cameras. Meanwhile, rural communities feel under siege due to lack of Garda resources. Even where the Gardaí are successful in catching criminals the perception is that they get off lightly in the courts and are given every benefit of the doubt. However, no such flexibility is shown to law abiding citizens. At a recent meeting I was told a story about a frightened farmer who confronted intruders with his shotgun and within hours his shotgun was seized by Gardaí. We also had a report recently from a farmer who was warned by Gardaí after a break in that if a gate fell on the thieves they might possibly sue him for compensation. These cases are adding to the sense of outrage and ICSA is committed to bringing the issue of rural crime to the top of the political agenda.”
ICSA would like to thank Glanbia Agribusiness and Done Deal for their support in promoting the survey.
Source: ICSA – Two-Thirds of Farmers Affected by Agricultural Crime
