Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the matter of excessive numbers of deer roaming our roads in Kerry. Road safety is paramount. These deer are compromising people's safety.

I want to mention the large number of deaths on our roads in north Kerry especially and to sympathise with the families who have lost loved ones. We all feel for those people. Deer have caused many deaths in our county. They have left many cars and vehicles in smithereens and many people are not covered by insurance. We in Kerry cannot carry on with the increased number of deer. They are everywhere, in droves. They are on every road in the county. They are even coming into towns and villages.

In the domain in Killarney they are knocking over rubbish bins. They are emanating from the national park and forests, many of which are State owned. The number of deer has resulted in a rise in Lyme disease because they are carriers. Many people do not report accidents. Farmers' crops and grasses have been ravaged by these fellows. Given the cost of fertiliser, life is unbearable for many farmers.

Councillor Johnny Healy-Rae raised this matter at a full meeting of Kerry County Council last week. He pointed out that hardly a day goes by that Kerry County Council does not have to take deer off the Kilgarvan road. They are roaming everywhere, on the Bunane Road, Lauragh, Tuosist, Moll's Gap, Sneem, south and east Kerry and the N22 in Killarney. My son made smithereens of his car on the N22 travelling from Killarney at Ballydowney. They are in Kilcummin, Gneevgullia, Scart, Rathmore and Castleisland. Along with the carnage on our roads, they have farmers cleaned out.

The late Terence Casey, a former south Kerry coroner, launched a fierce attack on the National Park and Wildlife Service, NPWS, in 2016. This followed an inquest into the death of a Killorglin mother, Susan von der Geest. It was claimed she had swerved to avoid a deer and lost her life. She left three children after her when she hit a tree. Mr. Casey said in 2016 when he visited the area to see the deer for himself that if another fatal accident happened blame would be apportioned to the NPWS. I call for a serious cull of the deer population like they are supposed to be doing in Wicklow.

The roads in Kerry need to be made safe for all of the people who use them. Maybe the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, does not want people on our roads. He has suggested that we have wolves as well. We have enough problems with deer. I ask the Taoiseach to organise a serious, proper cull.

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