Majority of respondents to public consultation back deer cull

Wild Sika Deer high up in the Wicklow Mountains. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A public consultation has overwhelmingly called for a cull of deer on biodiversity grounds.

The first major public consultation into the impact of the Irish deer population found that over 80% of respondents said the national deer herd is damaging biodiversity, while 86% support a cull.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, along with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, launched a new public consultation late last year, with more than 1,500 submissions from people all over the country.

The consultation found that the main concerns from respondents were biodiversity loss/damage (82%), damage to agricultural crops/grazing (81%), road safety (80%), preventing the establishment of new forests (71%), and a role in the spread of TB in cattle (67%).

In order to tackle these problems raised by deer, 86% of survey respondents said culling of deer is needed. 

Financial support for stakeholders

Some 78% said financial supports for landowners to manage deer are required, while 69% said the domestic venison industry should be expanded.

The Deer Management Strategy Group is now set to convene a series of stakeholder working groups to develop recommendations for managing the deer population effectively.

A statement from the Department of Agriculture said that these working groups will focus on "development of the venison market, encouraging collaboration among stakeholders, necessary legislative changes, training and education initiatives, and land management solutions". 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

The Deer Management Strategy Group, chaired by Teddy Cashman, hopes to publish the final report in the early autumn.

Commenting on the work of the group, Mr McConalogue said that the consultation showed the need for sustainable management of deer populations.

“For agriculture as well as our nature ecosystems, it is important that we aware of the need for the sustainable management of our national deer population," he said. 

"These include the protection of biodiversity; newly planted forestry, pasture, and crops; road safety; animal health; public health; and not least the health and welfare of the deer themselves."

In the 12 months to February 2022, a record 55,008 wild deer were culled in the 12-month period to February 2022 — up 24% from the previous record set in 2019 when 44,381 deer were culled. Earlier this year, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan called for a cull of deer across the country amid a campaign for the deer in Dublin's Phoenix Park to be culled.

Mr Ryan said both deer and goats are doing significant damage across the country, and restoring biodiversity must be a priority.

“There's a major problem we have with both deer, particularly deer and goats grazing, so that no young trees can grow," he said.

We do need to manage that deer population. It's a serious issue."

Last week, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association animal health and welfare chairman Hugh Farrell said that a link between deer and TB infection "cannot be ignored".

"The days of turning a blind eye to uncontrolled expansion of deer and the impact on TB are surely over," said Mr Farrell.

"It is clear we need better information about how many deer are in the country, but it is beyond question that numbers have exploded."

In Ireland, deer may be controlled by landowners in accordance with the Wildlife Acts, by way of licensed hunting during the open season (generally from September 1 to February 28, but depending on the species and gender of deer), but a wider cull could be suggested by the working group.