Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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653. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role his Department plays in organising deer culls in areas where they are becoming common and are roaming on farmland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4330/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has no direct role in organising the culling of deer. Under the Wildlife Acts responsibility for the management of the wild deer population on public lands rests with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

 In conjunction with the NPWS we are currently co-funding a limited cull of wild deer in a small area of County Wicklow to address the concerns of landowners across a range of issues such as road safety, disease control, broadleaf tree and crop stripping.  The Group is comprised of representatives of local farmers, the Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF), the Wicklow Deer Management Partnership (WDMP) and both Government Departments.