The culling of deer will take place as recommended by a new report on managing wild deer populations, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Charlie McConalogue has said.
The move comes as populations have been growing exponentially, with the report from the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group saying this has led to issues in terms of biodiversity and farm management.
The group recommends extending the hunting seasons for male and female deer, appointing a national programme manager to set up local deer management units and examining the feasibility of a national deer management agency.
The group, chaired by Teddy Cashman, was set up 14 months ago to review and consult on all issues surrounding the unchecked and expanding wild deer population.
Published this morning, it contains 15 recommendations and is set to be presented at a meeting of the Cabinet with Mr McConalogue saying it is the intention that deer culling will happen arising from these recommendations.
Mr McConalogue said that based on the report, he will appoint a team leader first thing in the New Year who will set up local deer management groups in areas with large deer populations and he will then look at adjusting national laws in relation to expanding the shooting season for deer culling.
The minister said: "The growing deer population is a considerable problem, and I will be actioning the recommendations immediately in the new year.
"For agriculture, our natural ecosystem and our forestry ambitions it is important that we have sustainable management of the national wild deer population.
"However, the impact of deer proliferation extends far beyond this to road safety, animal health, public health and not least the health and welfare of the deer themselves."
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) described the move as long overdue.
President of the ICMSA Pat McCormack said that for at least a decade farmers had been expressing more concerns about deer numbers and the animal's geographic expansion out of traditional areas of habitat.
He said that this had a role in spreading bovine tuberculosis (TB), forestry destruction and other biodiversity aspects, and urged the Minister to begin the cull in January 2024.
Read more:
Deer population 'out of control', says Wicklow management group
86% of respondents to consultation support deer cull
Other recommendations in the report examine the establishment of a national Deer Management Agency, incentives to encourage the culling of deer, allowing more flexibility for activity outside of shooting season under the Wildlife Acts and integrating deer management into agricultural, forestry and environmental management training.
Mr McCormack said that this would have to be weighed up against farmers and landowners having another State agency with whom they would have to engage and on regulations and restrictions.
The report said Co Wicklow is already a "deer hotspot" due to the large but unquantified number of the animals.
It also said other hotspots are emerging in counties Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal and Galway.
As part of the group's work, it undertook a public consultation which received 1,500 responses.
Of those, 86% said deer culling was important to address the deer population issue.
