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HomeFarming NewsFarmer fined €1,000 for destroying vegetation during bird nesting season
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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Farmer fined €1,000 for destroying vegetation during bird nesting season

A judge has handed a €1,000 fine to a farmer for destroying vegetation during the bird nesting season.

Mr Desmond Bagnall, Killellery, Geashill, County Offaly, appeared before Tullamore District Court on Monday, July 19th, 2021.

The judge charged him with a breach of Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, involving the destruction of vegetation during the bird nest season. The Offaly farmer pleaded guilty to the offence.

Fine for farmer

The court heard that National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) conservation rangers, Colm Malone and Kieran Buckley followed up a complaint a member of the public made.

They claimed that hedgerow vegetation had been destroyed at Killellery, Geashill, Co Offaly.

Over two days, the NPWS documented the extent of the destruction and presented the evidence to the court.

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“A total of 109 meters was completely destroyed, piled into a corner of a field and burnt by Mr Bagnall. The vegetation that was destroyed contained old native hedgerows, including mature ash and whitethorn trees.”

In his evidence to the court, Malone stated that the vegetation was destroyed during peak bird nesting season.

He went on to say that he could not see any reason why the farmer could not have undertaken this work from September to February of any year.

Judge Catherine Staines said she was convicting Mr Bagnall and imposing a fine of €1,000 with four months to pay.

€6,000 fine for man who destroyed hedgerow vegetation and trees

Meanwhile, a judge has fined a man, who destroyed hedgerow vegetation and trees, containing birds’ nests with eggs, €6,000.

Mr Brian O Reilly, Clonagh, Hollywood, County Laois, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Wildlife Acts at Carlow District Court on Thursday, September 2nd. Read the full article.

€3,000 fine for livestock company over uncultivated land project

A judge has ordered a livestock company to pay £2,500 for one offence under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

McCloskey Livestock Ltd, of Teeavan Road, Dungiven, appeared before Limavady Magistrates Court on Wednesday, September 15th, 2021.

The case initially arose from a routine monitoring inspection visit by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

The court heard that during 2019 and 2020, McCloskey Livestock Ltd conducted an uncultivated land project without a screening decision or consent from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Read this article.

Further reading

Read more court news.

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