Passing the buck on deer issue

CLLR MAURA HEALY-RAE: GOVT ISN’T TAKING KERRY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY

CLLR Maura Healy-Rae has taken aim at former Minister Josepha Madigan and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for a ‘passingof-the-buck’ attitude when it comes to protecting motorist from deer in Killarney National Park.

The independent Councillors comments came during a Notice of Motion she brought to last week’s Ordinary Meeting of Kerry County Council at the Kerry Sports Academy in Tralee.

Cllr Healy-Rae again asked relevant Government Departments to respond to “genuine concerns and issues highlighted by the members of Kerry County Council surrounding deer management and public health and safety”.

She made particular note of a November 2019 deputation brought to the Killarney Municipal District, at which Gillian Hughes – whose sister, Paula, was killed in a road accident on the N72 Ballydowney-Fossa road in 2006 – spoke.

Mrs Hughes believes that a deer jumping out in front of her sister’s car was the cause of the fatal accident.

Cllr Healy-Rae told last week’s meeting that a response from former Minister Madigan’s Department was not satisfactory.

“I suppose we’re all well aware of near misses and the significant cost on individuals to replace their vehicles, vehicles being written off and, worst of all, fatalities that have occurred due to deer on our roads,” Cllr Healy-Rae said before explaining that the Minister’s response noted that an attempt to fence the park was not realistic due to its size.

The independent Councillor, however, said that this is not what is being requested by those who are calling for action, and she added that what is being called for is feasible.

“We want fencing along stretches of roadway adjacent to the park where accidents have been caused by deer,” she said, making particular note of an approximately-three-kilometre stretch between on Ballydowney-Fossa road.

“The reply said that road safety is a matter for the Road

Safety Authority and Kerry Council...I completely object to this passing-of-the-buck attitude”. The independent Councillor

again called on members of the Department to meet with members of the Killarney Municipal District in relation to this issue, but she again took aim at what she feels is the attitude of the Department towards what people in this county raise.

“They are not recognising the genuine concerns of the county when it comes to the Park’s management,” she said.

Photo by Valerie O’Sullivan A red deer on Mangerton Mountain.