Number of cattle stolen totals 431
Monaghan was the worst hit county with 61 reported stolen, including 48 in 2013.
Limerick was the second-worst hit county with 51 reported stolen, including 38 in 2013.
Also figuring prominently in the list were Mayo with 43, Meath with 38, Laois with 37, and Donegal with 29.
Other counties where significant cattle thefts were reported were Cavan (20), Clare (20), Galway (18), Kerry (17), Leitrim (10), Louth (15), Roscommon (21), Tipperary (10), and Westmeath (17).
No cattle thefts were reported in Wexford or Wicklow.
The total thefts jumped from 133 in 2012 to 298 in the first 11 months of 2013.
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney gave the figures in the Dáil, in reply to a question from Sinn Féin TD for Cavan- Monaghan Caoimhghín ” Caoláin, who asked the minister if he will consider introducing a compensation scheme for farmers who have had livestock stolen from their lands.
Mr Coveney said his department has no plans to introduce a compensation scheme for farmers that have had livestock stolen.
He said any incident involving stolen cattle should be reported to the Garda Síochána in the first instance, as the Garda have primary responsibility for investigating. Where necessary, the Special Investigation Unit of the Department of Agriculture will assist the Garda.
A cross- border liaison group comprising the SIU, Garda and PSNI investigates the theft of livestock on an all-Ireland basis.
Stolen cattle cannot be traded legally in the State as all bovines must bear official ear tags, be properly registered and be located on the Depart-ment’s Animal Identification and Movement database in the herd of the individual moving or selling the bovine.
Cattle reported as stolen to the department are marked on the AIM database as being stolen, on foot of a Garda report. If these animals are presented anywhere in the State for sale, slaughter or export, they are checked against the database and they will be rejected and an investigation will be initiated, said the minister.
