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For Oral Answer on : 18/04/2023
Question Number(s): 81 Question Reference(s): 17486/23
Department: Justice
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION


To ask the Minister for Justice to outline the way animal crime is approached under the Rural Safety Plan 2022-2024 published by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

As the Deputy may be aware, the Rural Safety Plan is the result of strong collaboration between all the relevant organisations and brings together the excellent work already underway in relation to rural safety. The Plan is not intended to replace, but rather supplement, this work.

The vision of the Rural Safety Plan is for people and communities in rural Ireland to feel safe and be safe in their homes, their places of work, and their local environments.

The Plan identifies 5 main priorities in relation to rural safety, one of which is ‘Animal Crime’. As the Deputy may be aware, animal crime  includes  any  activity  that  goes  against  legislation  protecting  animals, wild animals and plant life.

The key objectives under the priority on animal crime are:

  • Reduce damage created by uncontrolled dogs on farms and other rural settings.
  • Deter illegal practices of lamping, poaching and trespassing.
  • Prevent, detect and reduce livestock theft.
  • Prevent, detect and reduce incidents of dog theft.


The Plan outlines the key actions underway in the priority area of animal crime in an informative and accessible way and also provides useful contacts for partner organisations, groups committed to supporting victims of crime, and organisations that share the Department of Justice’s aim of advancing the safety of our people.

For the Deputy’s information the Plan is available at: 

https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/235118/e99aebbb-cf7d-4509-a177-7c9212eb0bee.pdf#page=null