Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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1123. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the Deer Management Strategy and the establishment of local deer management units; if the locations of each of these units has yet been finalised; if a unit will be located in the north Tipperary area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30091/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Deer Management Strategy group was established to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland.

The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte. It published a report into “Developing a Sustainable Deer Management Strategy for Ireland” in December 2023.

The report listed 16 Actions, 8 of which are recommended in the short term and 8 of which are recommended in the medium term. These recommended actions address a wide range of issues from hunter training and forest design to land use management and the venison market. The report concluded that a formal structure was required to manage deer in Ireland, which involved the appointment of a Programme Manager to implement the recommendations of the report and the establishment of local deer management units in known hotspot areas.

The locations of the deer management units (DMUs) have been finalised. The locations of the DMUs is in response to what might be referred to as deer hotspots. These DMUs aim to give the best geographic coverage in order to reduce the density of deer in these areas. Tipperary is covered in one of these areas.