Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate everything the Minister said about the fire. It was very unfortunate that such an area was destroyed and that insect life, hares and ground-nesting birds were wiped out. Hopefully, officials will find out how the fire happened and where it started.

The Minister of State said the deer was a wild animal, but I referred to deer that were born in the national park and live within the park but encroach on its environs. I appreciate that it would be impossible to fence in the national park. Much of it is high-walled but there are some select points where deer fencing would bring results and prevent them from wandering out. Some of the existing fencing is good but there are gaps and, on the western demesne alone, some 200 deer wander daily from the park onto the Castlemaine Hotel grounds and the Killarney golf courses of Killeen and Mahony's Point. I ask the Minister of State to consider fencing at certain pinch points, especially at Ballydowney and, even more so, Gortroe. I appreciate that only rangers can shoot deer within the park in season and it would be totally irresponsible to license anybody else to do so when so many members of the public wander freely around.