Farmers who confront people illegally trespassing and hunting hares on their land are “living in fear of being burned out”, a meeting in Galway heard on Monday.

Intimidation of farmers by people hunting hares with lurchers and other dogs was one of the main issues highlighted at an IFA meeting in Tuam on Monday.

“There are farmers who have confronted these people now living in fear of being burned out,” one farmer told the gathered crowd.

“There will be someone shot if nothing is done about this, and then there will be national uproar.”

Cattle worrying

The meeting was told that there was a reluctance by farmers to report incidents of sheep and cattle worrying because of intimidation.

Concerns were raised that little can be done to prosecute trespassers, even if there is video evidence of livestock worrying.

Sergeant Willie Hannon from Tuam garda station urged farmers who see sheep being worried or attacked by dogs or those coursing to call the gardaí straight away.

He said the quicker the call is made, the better the chance of those in charge of the dogs being prosecuted.

Sergeant Hannon told the crowd that the dog owner is liable for damage caused to any livestock or property.

He added that it is not necessary to show any previous mischievous propensity or that the attack was the result of neglect by the owner.

He said a farmer can shoot a dog that is worrying or about to worry livestock if he/she cannot prevent this by any other reasonable means.

The farmer must then report the shooting to gardaí within 48 hours.