Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise as I was not present earlier. I was at a different meeting. I welcome all the guests. I suppose most of the subjects have been discussed at this stage. Is there agreement across all the organisations that deer now seem to comprise the major problem rather than badgers? We spent decades blaming badgers for all the problems. I was reading comments by University College Dublin, the University of Limerick and the deer organisation from 2021 to the effect that there was a complete lack of sustainable deer management in the country. Those concerned were engaged in a pilot project at that stage. Have there been any results or feedback from that project since?

I believe Mr. Punch stated it is madness to do the same thing over and over. If €1 billion is to be spent up to 2030, there will need to be results. A massive amount of Exchequer money will be spent. We have spent 60 to 70 years doing the same thing time and again and giving the same feedback at committees like this – feedback to the effect that if so much money is to be spent, there will have to be results. Have the delegates suggested to the forum how to move forward in this regard? Will the burden of the extra work to be done fall back on the farming organisations? Are the delegates all in agreement that the Department needs to start dipping into its pocket more to get the results?