A compensation scheme for should be put in place for farmers affected by deer grazing on and damaging their land, it has been proposed.
Cllr John O’Donoghue said in light of the failure to control the number of deer roaming freely, Kerry County Council should write to Ministers Daragh O’Brien, Jack Chambers, Malcolm Noonan and Charlie McConalogue seeking a fair deal for the farmers affected.
“We have all heard the horror stories involving collisions with deer on our roads and, sadly, the problem seems to be escalating,” he said.
“The fundamental problem when it comes to dealing with an out-of-control Sika deer population is, unbelievably, that no one will claim responsibility for them.
“While around Killarney and its hinterlands in East Kerry, deer have been an ever present fixture due to our proximity to the national park, they are now appearing in regularly areas of the county which never saw them before,” Cllr O’Donoghue stated.
He said he has repeatedly argued for the need for the roads around the town of Killarney which run alongside the national park to be deer fenced, particularly the N71 road to Muckross and the N72 west through Fossa.
“These calls have long gone unanswered and maybe it is only through approaching the problem from a different angle that we may have success.
“Sika deer numbers have exploded to such an extent, that they are now rampaging through agricultural land unchecked, particularly in the winter months when grass is scarce. This is grossly unfair on the farmers who are maintaining the land at their own expense,” Cllr O’Donoghue stated.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
Cllr Niall Kelleher said, unfortunately, he has recently had a personal experience with deer encroaching on to public roads when he collided with one that jumped in front of his vehicle.
He acknowledged that the National Parks and Wildlife Service has increased the number of deer being culled within the national park but large numbers are still roaming very far from Killarney.
Cllr Kelleher told the story of how one of his neighbours work up one morning recently to find over 30 deer in his garden.
Another neighbour had reseeded an acre and a half of ground but his work was rendered useless by the time over 50 deer had finished with it.
“There needs to be more strategic and urgent action in relation to the culling outside the national park,” he said.
Cllr Kelleher asked the national park staff to organise an information evening for farmers and others who want the situation addressed
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