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To date 13 deer have been culled as part of a government-led plan to manage a population crisis in Killarney National Park. The cull started last month and is expected to finish in March, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan told the Dáil on Wednesday.
“The proposed cull is at a similar level to that which was undertaken in previous years,” Madigan said. “Approximately 45 deer were culled last year while 55 were culled the year before. Shooting of deer in the park will be carried out only by NPWS professional staff members who are fully trained, competent, expert and licensed in the use of firearms. Deer will be culled within the boundaries of Killarney National Park.”
However, Deputy John Brassil claimed that he has not witnessed any evidence that the cull has started.
“To my knowledge, there is no evidence of it on the ground,” he said. “On the verge of the National Park, in places like Tomies and Beaufort, farmers and landowners are at breaking point over this issue.
"One farmer has up to 20 red deer grazing his land daily. Can the Minister imagine the effect that is having on fodder control for his own animals? The deer leave droppings and these become part of the silage, rendering it useless.”
Brassil added that while a farmer can apply for a licence to shoot deer “experience to date has been that if somebody applies for a licence and is experiencing a large number of red deer, for example, 15 or 20 deer, on their lands continually, they will get the licence to cull possibly two or three deer, which does not deal with the problem.
The red deer density over a study area of 13.64km2 is 708, according to a survey carried out by the Department in the winter of 2016. The number of sika deer is approximately 200.
A Killarney National Park deer census is planned for 2018.
“This work will be undertaken by external specialists. It is hoped to initiate this process shortly,” Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan said.
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