Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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1837. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on a recent meeting between the Deer Management Strategy Group and Bord Bia in relation to the marketing of venison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47324/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group 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.  A report was published 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. 

Any meetings between the Deer Management Strategy Group and its stakeholders are an operational matter for the Deer Management Strategy Group.