Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 1064: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action being taken with our deer population to control the spread of tuberculosis; the measures in place and the person responsible for sending carcasses to laboratories; his views that enough is being done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18548/12]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 1118: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to deal with a proposed cull in our deer population to help control of the spread of tuberculosis;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18547/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1064 and 1118 together.

Responsibility for management of the national deer herd, including for sending carcases to laboratories rests with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. However, my Department monitors the outcome of routine veterinary examination of wild deer carcasses intended for human consumption. My Department also specifically carries out on-going research into the incidence of TB in wild deer. To date, both the routine veterinary examination results and our research has shown a very low incidence of TB in the wild deer population (Sika and Dama dama ), even when the deer concerned were deliberately selected from areas of the country with a high incidence of TB in the cattle population. Based on the evidence to date, I am satisfied that the risk of the spread of TB from deer to cattle is low and that a deer cull is unnecessary in the context of the bovine TB eradication scheme. I should explain that, while a deer cull is not justified from a TB perspective, deer are not a protected species and can be culled under licence issued by the NPWS to local gun clubs and/or farmers for the purpose of reducing deer numbers in a locality where they may be causing problems.