5,000 deer culled in Tipperary

Councillors seek an even higher cull

Almost 5,000 deer were culled in Tipperary last year, the second highest number in the country.

The figure was revealed at this week's meeting of Tipperary Co Council after several speakers called for a greater deer cull amid concerns for road safety and agriculture.

The issue was raised by south Tipperary councillor John Crosse, who wanted the council to write to the Minister for Agriculture seeking to “intensify” the national cull. He said wild deer are having an impact on crops and silage, and there is an ambiguity around responsibility where the animals cause vehicles to crash on roads.

“I love deer, but there's a lot of concern out there,” Cllr Crosse said. “Tipperary is losing the battle on it.”

Cllr Ger Darcy said deer pose a big problem in the north of the county as well. Farmers are very concerned, but an even greater problem is the danger arising from deer crossing public roads.

“I don't know what the solution is but we have to do something,” Cllr Darcy said.

In full agreement was Cllr John Rocky McGrath. With his experience of forestry, he said deer have always been a problem but that problem has worsened over the last couple of years.

“They're breeding in their thousands nationally,” Cllr McGrath said.

“I've seen this getting worse over the years.”

While he did not want to wipe out the deer population, Cllr Roger Kennedy agreed that their numbers are “growing exponentially” and this affects all of Tipperary's districts.

Director of Services Marcus O'Connor said around 55,000 deer were culled last year across Ireland. Nearly 5,000 of these were in Tipperary, which was the second highest total in the country after Wicklow.

Mr O'Connor said the council is being called out to accidents involving deer with greater frequency. The local authority would write to the Minister for Agriculture about the situation.