New wildlife crime unit to show ‘zero tolerance’

A NEW wildlife crime unit is to be established and it will have a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to offences, a junior minister has said.

The new unit will work directly with the gardaí following a signing of a memorandum of understanding and aims to crack down on the killing of birds of prey, badger-baiting and the destruction of natural habitats such as hedgerows.

Yesterday, Junior Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said the new four-to-five-person unit is just establishing itself, but will start to ‘build resources over the next number of months and years’ as it works closely with the district conservation officers.

‘The idea of the Wildlife Crime Unit is really to consolidate that work and we have a close working relationship with An Garda Síochána, signed a memorandum of understanding and I met with Commissioner [Drew] Harris a number of months ago as well. He’s very determined to work closely with us on this,’ said Mr Noonan.

The Green Party TD said this really sends out the message that there is a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to these crimes.

‘We’ve seen recently there have been a number of really good successful prosecutions in the district courts and thankfully judges are recognising the seriousness of it by way of the penalties that have been imposed,’ Minister Noonan told Newstalk.

He said that so far this year, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has secured 19 prosecutions, with a further 41 still being processed.

Just this week, a Laois farmer, Des Crawford, was given a three-month suspended sentence for the possession of two dead buzzards which were found strung up on his land.

Both had been shot at close range, possibly in their nest, an NPWS officer told the court.

The offence took place on April 19, 2020, at Clonadacasey, Mountrath.