Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I endorse what Senator Ardagh has said about Educate Together. I was a founding parent of the Dublin 8 Educate Together 20 years ago as I wanted a different education for my child. Unfortunately, sending them on to an Educate Together secondary school was not an available option then, and still is not today. It is extremely disappointing for the parents who want to avail of a different education that has become de rigueurand part of the landscape in the past 20 years and I will support those parents.

On Sunday, I went in the misery of the rain on a short walk around the Phoenix Park, the biggest park in an urban centre in Europe and which was given the international gold award of excellence last year. It is renowned for its deer. I walked by a group. There were many motorists parked and a large group of at least 25 people who were tourists. They were there feeding the deer. Myself and one other Dub looked at each other and said, "This seems unreal." They were tame. They were eating out of the tourists' hands. While the deer got carrots, they also got what looked like processed turkey.These are vegetarians. They are wild and they need to forage. I rang the commissioner, John McMahon, and we discussed the situation. There are some notices around Phoenix Park. If one goes on TripAdvisor, it has become de rigueurto attend Phoenix Park for a day out and to be prepared to feed the wild deer in the park. It is disabling to the deer and it is a health and safety issue for tourists due to Lyme disease, ticks and not allowing the deer to live in their own habitat but detaining them. I ask for a more rigorous notice. Could TripAdvisor state that this is not allowed, and that it should be frowned upon and refrained from at all times? The Phoenix Park is a jewel in the crown of our city, country and Europe. The destruction of the deer should be prevented. I have never seen it so up close and personal as I did last Sunday.