Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last Tuesday eight cattle worth €12,000 were stolen from a farmer in Knockbridge, County Louth. Cattle rustling is on the increase. That man bought four of those cattle in Carnaross mart the previous day at a cost of €1,300 each. Louth IFA is calling for much greater sanctions to be imposed on anyone caught stealing livestock or tampering with cattle ID tags. This is a very serious issue. We know that, down the years of our history, to steal a man's spade in Ireland was the equivalent of taking his life, and was looked on in the same way. To steal a person's livestock is a new low in Irish life which could put a person's lights out economically. I call for much greater sanctions and penalties and for the full force of the law to be applied.

I would like the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House on this serious issue. Huge numbers of livestock are being stolen.

Garda figures reveal that 1,979 sheep have been stolen between 2012 and 2014.