‘70 per cent cull needed’- Healy Rae

“IT is my considered opinion that nothing less than a 70 per cent deer cull will have any real impact on this problem which is now at crisis point,” Deputy Michael Healy Rae stated, adding: “Anything less and we’re only messing”.

The Kilgarvan TD was speaking as concerned locals highlighted the increasing sightings of deer on the roadsides close to the national park. And he didn’t mince his words.

“In the past, weekly culls were undertaken by a forester in the Killarney Valley area and this practice kept numbers in check. That all stopped when that forester retired and we are now left with the devastation that these deer are wreaking in this community.

“For instance, my daughter left Scrahan Mews one morning recently and saw a stag in the middle of the road looking at her at 5am. They don’t want to be in our environment but what’s bringing them down is greener pastures near the roadsides as populations are so high.

“It’s all about proper animal husbandry – we need to be cruel to be kind. They are interbreeding, destroying our national parks and destroying fencing in local homes.”

Meanwhile, Cllr John Joe Culloty, said he will again be raising the issue at Municipal District level.

“I’m calling for proper fencing and digital flashing signs, like ones that would be typical in Canada and other countries. We also need to cut back the trees for obvious reasons. If you hit a deer at 60kmph it could end up inside your windscreen.

“There are reports out there concerning deer in this area but until a proper and comprehensive deer management plan is introduced and properly done over a five year period, then we are only firefighting the problem.”

Michael Healy Rae