New rural safety plan to tackle burglaries, roads policing, and animal and heritage crime

There are five pillars to the rural safety plan: community safety, burglary and theft, roads policing, animal crime, and heritage crime. Picture: iStock

A new rural safety plan is currently being drawn up to bring communities and rural groups together to help tackle crimes such as burglary, crimes against animals and heritage crime.

The new plan is not likely to be published until early next year. However, workshops are currently taking place involving stakeholders including the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Farmers Association, Muintir na Tire and other groups representing the interests of rural dweller through the National Rural Safety Forum.