Clare councillor urges public to have say on deer concerns

AFTER highlighting the danger caused by an ‘explosion’ in the deer population in East Clare, a local councillor is urging members of the public to take part in a new national consultation initiative. 

Deputy Pat Hayes told the most recent meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District that several people had raised the matter with him, with particular concerns over road safety, as well as the damage caused by deer to farm lands and crops.

He told colleagues and Council officials that the Slieve Aughtys are currently host to a massive population of wild deer, who have moved from the hills down to the valleys, with  ongoing encroachment into farms.

Since the matter was raised, the Ministers for Agriculture and Housing have launched  a new public consultation initiative as part of the development of a Deer Management Strategy. Ministers Charlie McConalogue and Darragh O’Brien unveiled the consultation in recent weeks to gather views on key issues relating to deer management in Ireland, the impact of increased deer numbers on a variety of issues including forestry, biodiversity, road safety, animal health and welfare, as well as the welfare of the deer themselves. The process is being coordinated by the Deer Management Strategy Group, chaired by Teddy Cashman.

Councillor Hayes told The Champion he had received a massive response after publicising the concerns of the community in East Clare, and that the new consultation process was very welcome. “The problem is a long-standing one around the Slieve Aughtys and it’s not today or yesterday that it began,” the Caher man said.

“We need to know what the scale of the issue and this consultation process provides an opportunity to record that they are dealing with.”

Minister McConalogue underlined the importance of management plan for Ireland’s deer population. “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.”

He commended the work of Mr Cashman and the Deer Management Strategy group, saying they had shown “tremendous leadership”.

“I encourage all interested parties, be that individuals, groups or associations to make their views known to the consultation so that the deer can be managed in a sustainable way in the future,” he said. 

Minister O’Brien noted the role of native deer in Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage. “They have benefited in recent decades from protection under the Wildlife Acts and their number and range has been increasing,” he pointed out.

“This expansion in deer numbers can bring challenges for landowners and for biodiversity. The management of deer in Ireland has many facets and it is important that all stakeholders have an opportunity to feed into the process. Minister McConalogue and I encourage everyone with an interest in deer in Ireland to take part in this survey.”

Interested individuals, groups or organisations can share their views on deer management in Ireland by completing the online survey available online at Gov.ie.

The Deer Management Strategy Group is chaired was convened in 2022 to continue the work of the Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF). The group is tasked with developing a sustainable deer management strategy for Ireland in consultation with stakeholders.

It is made up of officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and Coillte.