Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the €700,000 deer fencing programme in Killarney National Park is not in breach of the park's protective designations. [42510/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The programme referred to in the Question is the erection of a medium-disturbance deer fence over an area of some 150 hectares in the oak woodlands of Killarney National Park. The fencing is being undertaken with the agreement and financial support of the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Food under the Native Woodlands Scheme. It is an objective of EU and national habitats policy that appropriate steps should be taken to avoid the deterioration of natural habitats such as the old oak woodland. The erection of the fencing within this area of Killarney National Park is necessary because the presence of deer and feral goats has resulted in there being virtually no natural regeneration of native trees and no young or medium-aged oak trees in the woodland. The Forest Service has estimated that, unless this problem is addressed, there will be little or no oak woodland in the area in 80 or 90 years' time. Furthermore, the Forest Service and my Department consider that the erection of the fencing is the only viable way to restore semi-natural woodland to this area. I am satisfied that the fencing programme is essential for the survival of this woodland and is not in breach of the Park's protective designations.