ICSA Animal Health and Welfare chair Hugh Farrell has said that he is encouraged by progress being made at the Deer Management Strategy Group, chaired by Teddy Cashman, towards a workable deer management programme. “For too long now, the out of control deer population has been a major problem on several fronts, including the spread of TB. I am hopeful that we are moving towards a plan which will include a dedicated programme manager to co-ordinate and implement a strategy to bring deer numbers under control.”  

Mr Farrell, who participates on the Deer Management Strategy Group, said that a good level of consensus is emerging between all stakeholders on the need to control the deer population and to tackle the issue of deer roaming onto farmland and public roads. “The foundation of this strategy has been a significant consultative process, where the views of respondents with different viewpoints have been taken into account. ICSA has worked hard over the past five years on the TB Forum, and we have put a lot of effort into ensuring that we tackle all sources of TB spread, including the deer population. Diseased animals are not in the best interests of any species and at last, the case made by ICSA regarding deer control is recognised.”  

“The key issue now is to get Government to fund the strategy, and this cannot be delivered soon enough. I am calling on Minister McConalogue to push very hard for the funding so that the work can begin in implementing a key aspect of getting TB under control.”    

ENDS