Alarm as private papers are found strewn along roads

THE DATA Protection Commissioner has launched an investigation into how hundreds of confidential documents including payslips, maps and details of lands, many with the names of farmers, were found strewn along a five-mile stretch of road on Tuam’s outskirts this week.
The route along the Athenry Road from Tuam town and past the Grange River Bridge was covered by papers, many of which were detailed applications for Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS) or Area Aid and other grants.
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture and Food says it checked out the matter and the documents were the property of a private consultant.
Many of the documents were dated from 1999 to 2005. Some had farm folio numbers and names and most were accompanied by photocopies of maps.