579. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the planned locations of cold storage units under the scheme proposed by the Deer Management Strategy Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47245/26]

580. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost associated with each of the planned cold storage units under the scheme proposed by Deer Management Strategy Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47246/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.

Under the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group (IDMSG), the procurement and use of refrigerated cold storage units are recognised as essential elements in supporting sustainable wild deer population management and the development of Ireland’s wild venison sector. These units facilitate the safe and hygienic storage of deer carcasses harvested during targeted culling operations, enabling hunters and game handlers to efficiently consolidate and manage multiple carcasses for onward processing.

Funding of €454,491.15 (inclusive of VAT) was approved to procure five refrigerated cold storage units by the programme manager for the implementation of the Deer Management Strategy Group report . To date, expenditure on the units themselves amounts to €356,028.86. In addition, over €50,000 has been incurred to date in respect of associated planning, site preparation works and ancillary costs.

All five larders have now been delivered to Ireland and are being prepared to be delivered to their respective sites, which are located within designated Deer Management Units (DMUs) in key deer “hotspot” areas, including Wicklow, Roscommon, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Limerick. Planning permission applications are currently progressing for each location and it is anticipated that all units will be fully operational in advance of the forthcoming hunting season in September.