I will ask a question that comes under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It relates to the over-population of deer. Farmers, householders, road-users and everyone else are threatened and intimidated by these animals. Certainly, they are nice animals but they are creatures of habit and they cross roads in west Waterford and south Tipperary to go for water. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae informs me that in Galway and Kerry they come in the door. It is a major problem and we need a cull by the Department because accidents are happening. Farmers cannot keep their fences up. They cannot keep their crops. Even when farmers put out food in the winter in the troughs the deer are so populous – there may be 12 or 20 deer in a field – that they eat it all. All the cash crops are being destroyed by them.

Will the Minister and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine instigate a major cull? Before the animal welfare people jump down my throat, it is a health and safety issue and a human safety issue. It is also the case that they are doing major damage to agriculture. People are being killed in cars where deer have jumped on top of them.

Thank you, Deputy McGrath. I think that is a matter for the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan.

Yes, I will take that question. We have deer management programmes in place.

They are not working.

Deputy Mattie McGrath referenced Kerry. We have a programme in Killarney National Park. If there is a cull to be done, a person can make an application and the Department will issue a licence.

Who is going to do it?

Obviously, a balance must be struck between looking after and protecting the deer and looking after safety and traffic measures. If Deputy McGrath wishes to make an application to the Department, we can look at it.