Gardaí arrest man on suspicion of illegal hare hunting in Co. Clare
Gardaí in north Co. Clare made an arrest earlier this week as part of an ongoing operation targeting illegal hare hunting.
According to An Garda Síochána Clare, the officers stopped a vehicle in the north of the county following reports of suspicious behaviour.
A number of hunting dogs and a thermal imagining scope were found in the vehicle. The gardaí seized the vehicle and scope, and arrested a male, who will appear in court at a later date.
Under Section 44 of the Wildlife Acts, it is an offence to enter any land for the purpose of hunting without the permission of the landowner.
Gardaí are asking landowners and members of the public to remain vigilant.
They are requesting members of the public who see or suspect any illegal hunting or other illegal activity to report it to their local garda station or the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
Gardaí
Separately, An Garda Siochana's first rural crime lead has said any incidents reported to the police service 'will be fully investigated" no matter how small or insignificant people may think the cases are.
Superintendent Michael Corbett, who comes from a rural and farming background and is based in Fermoy in Co. Cork, said he intends to keep a "spotlight on rural crime" in his new role.
Supt Corbett told Agriland's AgriFocus podcast that he would also like people living in rural communities to be the "eyes and ears in rural Ireland" for gardaí.
"We want people to look out for their neighbours, check in on their older or vulnerable members of the community.
"If you see something suspicious, people should report it, or jot down a registration number of a vehicle if you're not happy about something.
"If you pass a car in a road and it is parked it in an unusual way, or parked in the laneway and you don't know it or it is not familiar - ring it into your local garda station," he said.
