Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the surveying of wild deer for tuberculosis in the Calary area of County Wicklow by his Department; that this area had for some time the highest levels of tuberculosis in cattle nationally; that the level of tuberculosis in the local badger population was 26%, as against a national average of 16%; that, accordingly, it would have been expected that other wildlife species, such as wild deer, would have become infected; that over the past four years over 120,000 wild deer were culled, and his Department has confirmed that less than 1% of the carcasses tested resulted positive for tuberculosis; that this would suggest the Calary project results were an isolated incident, due to high levels in the local cattle and badger population, and not reflective of County Wicklow in general or the situation nationally; that there is no evidence here or in Europe to suggest wild deer spread tuberculosis to livestock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27465/15]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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208. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that on 6 and 8 October 2014 experts from his Department confirmed, following its survey of tuberculosis in wild deer in the Calary area of County Wicklow, that it did not have any evidence that deer are a major source of tuberculosis for cattle in this country; that this remains the same; that samples were previously collected from deer carcasses from east Wicklow and examined by his Department; that a prevalence of 4% was found then in deer carcasses; that the Wild Deer Association of Ireland, the lead organisation representing those who work with deer and their management, and a member of the Irish Deer Management Forum advised his Department not to proceed with this project as they were concerned at the unintended consequences this survey might create for our wild deer population as well as subsequent misleading headlines that might arise; that his Department subsequently advised the results of the survey it was carrying out in Wicklow would do no more than establish the prevalence of tuberculosis in a sample of deer from a particular area, but beyond that would not be the basis of any new policies, or such like; if he will confirm whether his Department's policy on deer and tuberculosis remains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27479/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together. I also refer to my replies to the Deputy on this subject last month (21973/15 on 9 June and 25344/15 on 24 June).

My Department has emphasised at all times that the research the findings of this research project refer only to the Calary area of Co. Wicklow and there is no suggestion or evidence to support any claim that these findings would be replicated in other areas. A detailed examination, similar to the Wicklow one, of 17 deer in North Sligo found no evidence of infection with TB, although a small number of positive deer have been detected in isolated instances in different parts of the country.

I agree with the Deputy that the level of TB reported in deer examined at abattoirs in the country is generally very low. My Department monitors the incidence of TB in wild deer nationally through the analysis of suspect lesions or carcasses submitted by farmers and hunters who are permitted to slaughter deer under licence from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Submissions of deer since 1 January 2014 from farmers and hunters to our Regional Veterinary Laboratories indicate very low levels of TB in wild deer with the exception of parts of Wicklow.

As I have indicated previously, responsibility for wild deer rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under Wildlife legislation. The role of officials from my Department is to provide advice to keepers and their veterinary practitioners on disease control and bio-security measures in relation to wildlife, including deer. Officials from the Department are available on an on-going basis to discuss these issues with herd owners.

My Department has recently passed on the results of the survey of 103 deer to the non-statutory Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF) comprising an independent chairperson, representation from stakeholder groups, including farming, forestry, conservation, hunting and other interest groups as well as Coillte and officials from my Department and from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. IDMF who have discussed the report and I am awaiting recommendations that I understand are in preparation.