Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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383. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the deer management forum is next due to meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17749/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2015, my Department, together with the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht, published Deer Management in Ireland – A Framework for Action, which recommends a series of actions on deer management and conservation in a number of areas, including addressing the impact of deer in places where they are abundant. The Irish Deer Management Forum was established to implement the various actions listed in the Report. The forum last met in March 2018. The Forum itself comprised representatives from the main stakeholder areas such as landowners, forestry, hunting and conservation organisations, as well as representatives from both Departments.

Both my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is the parent Department of the NPWS, are in the process of examining the future direction of the Forum and its aims in the context of representation on the Forum as well as funding mechanisms. A meeting date will be organised when the future direction of the Forum has been agreed between the Departments involved.