THE Minister for Justice has been called upon to ensure Gardaí have the necessary resources to deal with juvenile offenders after concerned locals met at a well-supported IFA meeting in Co Kildare surrounding the recent arson attack on Rathasker Stud.

Gardaí arrested three male juveniles this week as part of an investigation into a fire at the Naas stud on February 7th. A barn filled with hay and straw had been set on fire, endangering the lives of 18 broodmares and causing approximately €150,000 worth of damage.

The three individuals were detained at a Garda Station in Co Kildare but reportedly have since been released without charge and referred to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, with investigations still ongoing.

There was an extremely strong turnout at the Irish Farmers Association-led gathering at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge on Monday evening. Several county councillors and members of An Garda Síochána were in attendance, as well as TD Joe Neville and a representative for fellow TD Martin Hayden.

The bloodstock and racing communities werre out in force to show its support over a string of recent arson attacks in the area, with representatives attending on behalf of organisations such as Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Irish Horse Welfare, Goffs, Tattersalls Ireland and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, to name just a few. The country’s top stud farms were represented too.

Senate input

Aubrey McCarthy, an independent member of Seanad Éireann, was in attendance and went on to raise the “grave incident” in the senate of the Oireachtas this week.

“It wasn’t just an attack on property or a local business, but it was an attack on rural livelihoods in the neighborhood,” said McCarthy.

“It’s not the first arson attack we’ve had in Kildare. We’ve had two farms targeted recently, the Killashee House Hotel targeted, and also a housing development.

“I attended a meeting this week in the Keadeen Hotel organised by the IFA with the owners of Rathasker Stud. Tensions were running very high, and people were very, very upset and angry. The sense of fear is palpable, and it’s clear that rural Ireland in the Kildare area is certainly frustrated and seems increasingly vulnerable.

“So I am asking you to remember that the breeding and racing industry in Ireland contributed €2.5 billion in 2022 and employed over 30,000 people. Rathasker Stud is owned by Maurice Burns and his daughter, Madeleine. They play a significant role in the sector, but it also affects the community and the wider industry.”

He added: “The attack raises the concern whether the Gardaí have the resources to police areas where juvenile offenders need to be dealt with. That’s a question for the minister, and I urge the Minister for Justice to address this pressing issue.

“The good side of this is that there was a huge turnout at the IFA meeting, and Maurice Burns and his family have received overwhelming support. But rural Ireland must not be overlooked, and I call on this house to ensure that adequate resources are allocated to prevent such crimes and to protect people living in the rural countryside.”

Multiple attacks

Fear was expressed from the floor at the meeting that the arsonists involved won’t stop, with serious risks for public safety. The gathering heard that 10 separate arson incidents have occurred within a mile of Rathasker Stud in little over a year.

Two of those incidents involved minor fires in the grounds of Killashee House Hotel. Its manager, Ger Alley, said minors have been caught on CCTV engaging in anti-social behaviour.

“The deliberate targeting of studs and farms around Naas, Co Kildare in a spate of arson attacks is unacceptable,” Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal this week.

“Not only has significant damage been caused to property and feedstocks but the welfare of animals and those who work with them has been endangered. I have spoken to representatives of those directly affected by these incidents and I’ve raised their concerns directly with senior local Gardaí,” he added.

“Report everything, we don’t investigate crimes that didn’t happen,” Garda crime prevention officer Sergeant Graham Kavanagh stressed at the meeting. He advised people to use the 999 number to report any wrongdoing.