Madam, - The foxhunters have been active again since November 1st, and farmers throughout the country can expect the usual bad behaviour from these people, who think nothing of invading land where they're not welcome, ploughing through boundaries, knocking walls, breaking fences, cutting wire, terrorising and stressing livestock (which can lead to injury and death) and treating farmers with derision and arrogance.
Many farmers have to resort to the expense of placing advertisements in their local papers warning foxhunters off their lands - something they shouldn't have to do, since entering onto lands to hunt a wild animal, without the permission of a landowner, is a criminal offence under Section 44 of the Wildlife Act. Similarly, allowing dogs to run riot, and clearly out of control, is a breach of the Control of Dogs Act. But foxhunters seem to believe they are above the law of the land, as they routinely flout these laws, and consider themselves answerable to nobody.
It is time the law of the land was enforced where these hunters are concerned, and indeed farmers and landowners should acquaint themselves with their rights under these laws. No farmer should have to go it alone through the civil route, and pay hefty legal fees to get redress under the law.
Any farmer who has suffered trespass or hounds rioting on his lands should report the matter to Garda and insist that the law of the land be applied to this criminality. - Yours, etc,