Michael Healy-Rae has called for “more extreme measures” to tackle Ireland’s ‘exploding’ deer population. 

With no natural predators, the State authorises the culling of tens of thousands of deer every single year. 

Last year, 78,000 deer were culled and hunters believe that figure will need to significantly increase in the years ahead. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Deputy Healy-Rae said the current numbers culled are insufficient and the deer population is putting people’s lives at risk. 

“I really believe that more extreme measures are actually required,” he argued. 

“Perhaps a bounty to be placed on each deer that is called to encourage more people to shoot more deer and to eradicate them, particularly females and young females.  

“Depending on what part of the country you're living in, we actually have daily strikes of deer where people are injured, property is damaged. 

“To be honest, we actually have an unhealthy population of deer at the moment, because there are quite simply too many of them.”

A Red Deer at Killarney National Park in County Kerry. Image: Robertharding / Alamy

The independent TD for Kerry said ideally the deer population would be reduced by 70%, which would return it to a “normal place” in which his constituents and deer could live in greater harmony. 

“A normal place is that you wouldn't be seeing deer in places where you shouldn't be seeing them because they should be up high in high lands and away from public roads and away from property,” he said. 

“But you're at the stage now where we have deer coming to people's lawns and around people's houses, it's totally ridiculous.” 

 

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Crucially, Deputy Healy-Rae believes that a smaller deer population would mean fewer car accidents. 

He added that crashes involving deer and his constituents are now so common that most go unreported. 

“The RSA simply must wake up to this problem,” he said. 

“And I'd ask them that, to please do so.”

The RSA have been contacted for comment. 

Wolves 

An alternative solution to reducing the deer population would be to reintroduce wolves to Ireland. 

Four wolves feeding on a fallow deer in Germany. Picture by: Alamy.com.

The animals were hunted to extinction in the 17th century and since then, deer have had no natural predators in Ireland except for mankind. 

Conservationist Killian McLaughlin has argued that the current system of culling is ineffective and that the return of the wolf would mean “nature can balance itself”.

Main image: Micheal Healy-Rae and a deer. Pictures by: Alamy.com and RollingNews.ie.