Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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342. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide correspondence, commissioned third party reports, research studies or other policy documents produced by or for the NPWS on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29715/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The remit for deer management for my Department is in relation to the National Parks only, and, as such, there is no repository of reports, studies etc. outside of this. Deer are wild animals and the management of them is up to individuals and/or landowners that are being affected. My Department issues licences under Section 29 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2018 for deer hunting and Section 42 of the same Act provides that where protected wild animals e.g. deer, or birds are causing serious damage to food, livestock, poultry or agricultural crops the owner or occupier may on application to the Minister seek a permission to take appropriate steps to stop the damage. 

My Department is committed to the active management of deer within National Parks. As part of its regular ongoing management operations in respect of these state lands, my Department carries out deer surveys and census reports as required or appropriate. Such operational reports are of course sensitive and their contents could be an incentive for wildlife crime (such as deer poaching). Officials are currently examining the documents comprehended by the Deputy's request in the context of a Freedom of Information request, and once a decision has been made on their releasable contents, given such operational sensitivities, my officials will send a copy of them to the Deputy also.