Vol. 461 No. 8
139 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the excessive culling of the herd of fallow deer at Portumna Forest Park, County Galway; his views on whether there is a conflict of interest between the commercial mandate of Coillte Teoranta and the welfare of the herd. [4002/96]
Neither I nor Coillte Teoranta has a responsibility in relation to deer culling. That responsibility rests with the Office of Public Works and the provisions of the 1976 Wildlife Act apply.
Accordingly, there is no question of a conflict of interest arising in so far as Coillte Teoranta's commercial mandate is concerned. I would add that Coillte Teoranta, in pursuance of its commercial mandate as laid down in the Forestry Act, 1988, is also required by that Act to have due regard to the environmental and amenity consequences of its operations.
