Farming representatives in Kerry are calling on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to introduce a financial incentive for hunters to control the county’s growing deer population.

The request has been supported by Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill.
Deputy Cahill said the number of Red and Sika deer in Kerry has increased sharply in recent years, with animals now appearing in fields, gardens, and on roads across the county. He warned that deer pose a danger to public safety and can carry ticks that spread Lyme disease.
“Everybody is aware that the Red and Sika deer have moved far beyond the confines of Killarney National Park, roaming freely through Kerry, damaging crops and gardens and are a real threat to life and limb on our roads,” he said.
He added that previous efforts to cull herds have been unsuccessful. “Our farming body representatives are among the stakeholders who should be consulted and all possible solutions considered to improve the situation,” Deputy Cahill said.
Similar bounty schemes have been used successfully in the past for foxes and seals. Deputy Cahill confirmed he has submitted a Parliamentary Question to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon to introduce a bounty for deer.
“I believe it is important to incentivise hunters to control deer numbers and assist in preventing accidents and tragedies in County Kerry,” he said.