Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
729. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a final report from the National Deer Management Strategy Group will be completed and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39701/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, policy responsibility for deer and other wildlife resides with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
I am aware of the importance of the sustainable management of our national deer population for agriculture, forestry as well as overall biodiversity within nature ecosystems. In order to address this the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and I convened the Deer Management Strategy group last Autumn, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Teddy Cashman. On foot of a recommendation of the strategy group an open public consultation on the management of deer was launched late last year by myself and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
This was the first major public consultation into the impact of deer and it received over 1,500 submissions from all over the country and all walks of life.
The role of the Deer Management strategy group is to develop a strategy for sustainable management of the national deer population.
The deer management strategy group is currently compiling its final report and it is anticipated to be completed in the coming weeks.
