The government has appointed a national farmers’ co-up to control deer numbers in Ireland.
Farm Relief Services (FRS) has been awarded the tender for for Deer Management Strategy programme manager.
The manager will work on the sustainable management of our national deer population, with 15 local Deer Management Units to be set up across the country.
Deer densities remain a major concern in Wicklow in particular, but also in parts of Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal and Galway.
When deer populations grow above a sustainable level for land management activities, they impact on farming, forestry, nature conservation and biodiversity.
Overgrazing by deer is also a serious pressure and threat for native woodlands across Ireland.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD welcomed the news saying: “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. 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.”
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Director General Niall Ó Donnchú welcomed the appointment of FRS and said: “This demonstrates excellent cross departmental cooperation between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and NPWS to ensure the successful delivery of the deer management strategy. Reducing deer numbers to sustainable levels is now the most important issue in many of our native woodlands across Ireland. NPWS looks forward to working with the newly appointed programme manager through the National Deer Management Strategy Group”.
The Deer Management Strategy Group is chaired by Teddy Cashman who said: “The Deer Management Strategy Group are delighted that a company of the calibre of Farm Relief Services have been awarded the tender to manage the national deer management programme. The programme manager is key to implementing the recommendations of the Deer Management Strategy Group and I look forward to working with FRS over the coming years making this a reality”.
