Farmer who failed to cut stock levels fined €10k

A farmer has been ordered to pay €10,000 in fines and costs after he failed to comply with a court order to reduce his stock levels.

Anthony Donoghue, aged 69, of Mullahoran, Kilcogey, Co Cavan, had since May to follow a Department of Agriculture plan to reduce his sheep, cattle and horse numbers but failed to do so.

The department will now seize the extra animals and they will be sold.

Donoghue first appeared before Mullingar District Court in Jan 2012 on 10 summonses, mostly for breaches of animal welfare legislation on leased lands at Lismacaffrey, Co Westmeath, in 2011.

Judge Seamus Hughes convicted and fined him €1,000 each on a sample of four of those charges.

The fines and department costs of €6,000 will be paid from a €10,000 deposit previously lodged in court.

In May, Donoghue was ordered to dispose of all his cows, reduce his cattle numbers to 40 and keep no more than 140 sheep and 10 horses.

However, Ronan Halpin from the Department of Agriculture said he has 71 cattle including 19 cows, 157 sheep and 34 horses.