Vol. 403 No. 10
7 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department have any plans to promote the farming of fallow deer, in view of the potential international market for fallow deer venison; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Deer farming is among the proposals for alternative farm enterprises included in the operational programme for rural development which has been submitted to the EC Commission. I will be announcing full details when the programme is approved which I expect will be very shortly.
Can the Minister indicate the extent of the finance sought and the level of investment anticipated under that programme?
I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that we would be entering the realms of anticipation on this. This matter is at present under negotiation with the Commission and, naturally, I would not be in a position to divulge exactly what the position is in this regard.
Could the Minister inform the House why farmers who are involved in farming deer have not been entitled to the same grants for buildings and handling facilities as are available to farmers involved in livestock, sheep or anything else?
The Deputy will appreciate that deer farming is a relatively new enterprise, certainly on the scale we are talking about for the future. Existing aid programmes under the FIP may not have had due regard to that in the past. Naturally it is intended that under the operational programme any deficiencies in that regard could be accommodated.
That would be good news.
Arising from the earlier reply by the Minister, since the Government's commitment to alternative farming is fairly marginal, could the Minister tell us if that degree of marginality is reflected in the submission that has been made to the Commission or is it envisaged that deer farming will form a more central part of the Department's strategy? Will it be promoted as a form of farming into which farmers could diversify having regard to the difficulties that we were discussing previously.
It is a separate question but due regard was paid to the various minor enterprises in the farming sector when the programme was being formulated in the context of their potential for development here.
Would the Minister agree that the alternative farm enterprises to date — deer, rabbits, goats, and so on have not been altogether successful and that there is now a need to examine every other possible alternative in view of the fact that traditional areas are not now within the compass of the small farmer? Does he agree that we will have to make an all out effort to get into areas that we have not looked at prior to this?
I agree with the Deputy. The process is ongoing. There are 130 producers of deer in Ireland. In 1989 exports of venison amounted to approximately ten tonnes valued at £40,000. While those statistics might seem relatively small, obviously it is a growing figure, and on the basis of the number of inquiries in relation to it, it is an area that will grow along with the other areas that Deputy Leonard refers to.
