Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 404: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of persons involved in deer farming; the extent to which the enterprise is expanding or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26766/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are approximately 300 deer farms in Ireland with an estimated population of nearly 50,000 animals. The structure of deer farming has altered over the past ten years. While the number of units has decreased from some 450 in 1994, the average enterprise has increased in scale with resulting growth in the farmed deer population in the past ten years. Although there are fewer enterprises now, they are larger, more specialised and moving towards quality assured high value product outlets. The development of a quality assured venison scheme has improved marketing potential, especially in supermarkets, and there are approximately 100 farms now quality assured. Wild venison from Scotland and farmed venison from New Zealand are the main competition for Irish farmed venison in Europe.