A Co Kildare sheep farmer who this weekend will have spent his first week in prison as part of a 90-day sentence has indicated that he is unrepentant about his actions.
Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, the partner of Percy Podger, Barbara Ohligb, said he would remain in prison as part of his protest for "appropriate measures" to prevent traffic accidents involving sheep on the Curragh.
Last Sunday Mr Podger was arrested at his home on the French Furze Road outside Kildare town over his refusal to pay costs following a conviction for a public order offence handed down in Naas District Court in 2003.
That conviction arose from an incident in which Mr Podger was arrested by gardaí after he refused to remove the remains of a sheep which he had draped on a speed sign as part of his protest.
Subsequent to an appeal to the Circuit Court, Mr Podger's conviction was upheld, and he was ordered to pay €850 witness expenses. He refused to pay the costs unless the council installed cattle grids on roads around the Curragh, and is now in Portlaoise Prison.
Ms Ohligb says Mr Podger's original action was an attempt to highlight "the failure by Kildare County Council to put in place safeguards, such as cattle grids and speed limits". These, she claims, would prevent accidents involving sheep on the Curragh.
She says cattle grids are required on at least eight roads in the area, two of which lead on to motorways. She says that already this year three of their 400-strong flock of sheep have been killed by motorists.
However denying that the council is at fault, head of corporate affairs for Kildare County Council Charlie Talbot yesterday said the council had applied to three Government departments - Defence, Environment and Agriculture - for €1 million needed to erect grids but was unsuccessful.
Saying the care of an animal was ultimately the responsibility of its owner, Mr Talbot said: "There are signs on and in the vicinity of the Curragh warning motorists of sheep; in addition to which there are 60km/h speed limits on the roads across the Curragh."
He added that if sheep farmers wanted to club together and fund the installation of grids, the council "would be very happy to co-operate with them".
At present there are around two dozen farmers who exercise their grazing rights, and they have up to 6,000 sheep on the Curragh.
Although some of the local farmers support Mr Podger, Sgt John Flaherty of Kildare Garda station disputes the number of sheep deaths, saying only "two or three incidents involving sheep were reported to them per year".