A GREATER Garda presence in rural areas along with changes in the law to protect landowners from trespassers has been called for this week by a senior IFA representative.

Connacht IFA Chair, Pat Murphy, told the Farming Tribune that landowners across the country were being intimidated by ‘lurchers and lampers’ marauding through their farms.

His comments come after a recent serious assault incident in South Tipperary where a farmer was badly beaten after an encounter with a gang of men who were ‘lamping’ on his farm – the victim suffered facial lacerations and broken ribs.

Pat Murphy said that the situation was now intolerable where gangs of men could just trample through farms as well as intimidating and threatening farmers who made any approach to them.

“As things stand, the law seems to be skewed in favour of the trespasser rather than the landowner – and this just has to change.

“We need a number of things to happen as a matter of urgency: there needs to be a far greater Garda presence in rural areas; there must a faster Garda response to these types of incursions; as well as a change in the law to strengthen the position of the landowner,” said Pat Murphy.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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