55. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s 2025 review of the bovine TB eradication programme, which identified wildlife as a source of infection and noted evidence implicating wild deer in Wicklow, his views that there is a material implementation gap in the 2025 Bovine TB Action Plan in respect of deer in County Wicklow, given that badgers are subject to defined test, vaccinate or remove measures while deer are not subject to the same criteria (details supplied); if he will publish a Wicklow-specific deer/TB intervention plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52301/26]

72. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that in view of the published evidence linking the growing Sika deer population in County Wicklow, with the persistence of bovine tuberculosis in County Wicklow and the well-established link between deer, badgers and cattle in TB epidemiology in County Wicklow he will establish and appropriately resource a dedicated Wicklow Deer and TB Action Group with responsibility for coordinating all relevant State agencies, producing a county-specific management plan, setting measurable deer population and disease reduction targets, and reporting publicly on progress (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52302/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 72 together.

My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group (IDMSG) to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte. A report was published into “Developing a Sustainable Deer Management Strategy for Ireland” in December 2023.

The report listed 16 Actions, 8 of which are recommended in the short term and 8 of which are recommended in the medium term. These recommended actions address a wide range of issues from hunter training and forest design to land use management and the venison market. The report concluded that a formal structure was required to manage deer in Ireland, which involved the appointment of a Programme Manager to implement the recommendations of the report and the establishment of local deer management units in known hotspot areas.

My Department is committed to progressing the implementation of the actions identified by the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group in this report. The Programme Manager, who has been appointed, will work closely with the IDMSG, DAFM and the National Parks and Wildlife Service in prioritising and implementation of the short term recommendations identified in the report.

The locations of the deer management units (DMUs) have been finalised. The locations of the DMUs is in response to what might be referred to as deer hotspots. These DMUs aim to give the best geographic coverage in order to reduce the density of deer in these areas.

The Programme Manager, through the local deer management units, will be liaising with licensed hunters and landowners in relation to the management of deer populations within the deer management units. Deer continue to be culled by appropriate licensed hunters within the hunting season and with the use of Section 42 licenses issued by the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) outside the hunting season.

Given the increase in deer numbers in all breeds there is a need to address this and so the management of Sika deer will be incorporated into the wider deer management measures. The strategy group are also aware of the high numbers of deer in Co Wicklow and the evidence of the presence of bTB in deer in the county and there will be a focus on Co Wicklow in their work.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has specific responsibilities regarding the management and control of wild deer in Ireland.