The Irish Farmers Association is calling on the Justice Minister to increase Garda presence in rural areas.
It comes as a new survey of over 500 farmers in Tipperary and across the country shows 54 percent of respondents are either dissatisfied or totally dissatisfied with Alan Shatter's efforts to protect rural communities.
Carried out by the IFA, the survey also shows 11 percent of farm families have been victims of rural crime and almost 37 percent feel less safe in their home in the past 12 months – a contradiction of recent reports that rural crime is falling.
And it reveals, 43 percent of farmers felt that the presence of Gardaí in their area had decreased in the last year.
IFA President John Bryan says the Minister for Justice needs to ensure that the level of crime is reduced and that the people living and working in rural areas feel safer.
