Several of a group of eyecatching animal sculptures, erected only two months ago on a main route to the south-west, have been vandalised, some maybe beyond repair.
Limerick County Council's arts officer, Ms Joan MacKernan, said the council is assessing its options. Gardaí in Co Limerick estimate the criminal damage done to the 11 large silhouette metal horses and deer to be in the region of €30,000.
A Garda spokesman said yesterday considerable force was used to bend and distort the animals embedded in concrete. They were continuing with investigations, which are being led by Sgt Stephen Carroll of Adare.
The group of 36 installations, on the Adare and southern Limerick ring roads, include 12 silhouette cows, in the colours of the rainbow, six colourful cows grazing on the road side, and a family of vermilion-red deer and blue horses.
Irish-American artist Jim Collins won the commission after an open competition organised by Limerick County Council. Funding was provided under the Department of the Environment's Percent for Art Scheme and the National Roads Authority.
Collins is a highly respected artist based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has completed a large number of public art commissions in the US.