Speaking to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on the issue of rural crime Downey said it is the IFA’s contention that rural dwellers and farmers are not at present guaranteed the same level of service and security that applies in urban areas.

The Committee was debating the impact of crime on the rural and farming communities. Downey was joined by IFA National Treasurer Jer Bergin, who has responsibility for rural crime within the organisation, and general secretary Pat Smith. Also participating was Colin Connolly, who has recently taken up the newly created IFA staff position of Rural Crime Prevention Executive and will be interviewed in this week’s Irish Country Living.

Downey referenced CSO figures, which show that more than 2,500 farm crimes were reported in the first six months of 2014. "This includes 1,720 instances of farm machinery being reported as stolen, and 218 of vehicle theft. There is also a serious problem over the theft of livestock, with 48 cases reported, including instances of cattle rustling," he said.

Downey added that there were 280 burglaries or break-ins to farm houses. "I stress that these are reported figures," he said, "and we believe that there is considerable under reporting of rural crime in particular for the theft of machinery, fuels and other items from farmyards and, to a lesser extent, break-ins to the family home."

The normal vulnerability to crime that affects all citizens is compounded for farmers by geographic and service isolation, Downey added. "It is IFA’s contention that rural dwellers and farmers are not at present guaranteed the same level of service and security that applies in urban areas," he asserted.

Measures taken by the IFA to counteract these problems include the appointment of crime prevention executive Colin Connolly, the Theft Stop crime prevention initiative and campaigns for increased policing hours and the presence of mobile units in rural areas.

Last August, IFA launched A Policy Charter for Rural Ireland to support the 440,000 families and businesses in the countryside. This charter called for the Seniors Alert scheme, a scheme which provides financial support for the use of personal pendant alarms by elderly people, to be extended to cover the installation of house alarms. It also asks local authorities and An Garda Síochána to fully enforce the 2014 metal theft legislation, which requires all scrap metal dealers to keep proper records and seek proof of identity from people supplying such materials.

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