Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) deputy president Alice Doyle has called for the establishment of a standalone unit of An Garda Síochána to be set up to deal exclusively with issues on rural crime.

Doyle’s comments come after a spate of tractor GPS thefts in counties Wexford and Dublin in recent days with an estimated value of €100,000.

Farmers and contractors should take immediate precautions to protect their property from theft, she said.

A man was arrested in north Dublin and went before the courts charged with attempted theft, to which he pled guilty.

“This is a great result for An Garda Síochana. We’re asking gardaí to work with other agencies to see if these stolen items can be prevented from leaving the State for eastern Europe and beyond and returned to their owners,” the IFA deputy president commented.

Specialised equipment

“It is very important that this cycle of theft of specialised equipment is stopped. [The] IFA is calling for the establishment of a dedicated Garda rural safety unit to tackle what has become an international business for organised crime gangs.”

Doyle stated that such units have already been established in areas including Northern Ireland and Scotland solely focusing on rural crime.

“They liaise with other agencies and police forces in a co-ordinated approach, sharing intelligence and best practices. Ireland needs the same. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris should establish such a unit immediately,” she added.

The IFA has said that trade embargoes imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine have led to criminals supplying the market with stolen equipment.

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