Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me assure the House that the Minister is acceptable.

I wish to raise the issue of deer wandering from Killarney National Park, which is giving rise to increasing concern about road accidents. This morning I met a lady, who is in the Gallery, who lost a wing mirror to a deer some time ago near the home of my colleague, Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP at Gortroe. There are pinch points in the Ballydowney- Gortroe area, where deer wander from the national park across to good grazing land.There is concern that deer numbers are increasing. I hope the Minister of State can give me a breakdown of the numbers of the native Kerry red deer and the imported Japanese sika species. We have had a few hundred of them in the Killarney area for a hundred years or more. We badly need some fencing along part of the road from Killarney to Killorglin, though not along its entirety because a wall runs along a good stretch of it. The fencing on the walkway route is pretty good. However, there are points where there is no fencing. The deer come onto the land between the walkway and the roadway and they are free to cross the road. They are very much tempted to do so.

Some of the accidents have been serious. I have not heard of anyone being killed, thanks be to God, but I have heard of a lot of damage to vehicles, including in a case I heard about this morning. I am looking forward to hearing the Minister of State speak about the management plan. I know there is a new regional manager, whom I look forward to meeting. I believe he is very good on the question of deer and he has already initiated a cull of a hundred or more. A cull is necessary in managing the deer. I am a member of the Kerry Deer Society. We are interested in the conservation of the Kerry red deer, though not so much the sika. The sika are often more difficult to locate. They are smaller animals. I look forward to hearing from the Minister of State. I may have a question or two for him afterwards.