The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Martin Heydon has said that Sika deer are not currently classed as an invasive species.

In a parliamentary question, Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill asked Minister Heydon if the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group (IDMSG) is considering the removal of the Japanese Sika species to protect native red deer and native oak forests.

According to Minister Heydon, there is work ongoing at EU level into whether or not Sika deer will be classified as an invasive species.

He said: "Currently Sika deer are not classed as an invasive species. However, one of the objectives of the deer management programme is to protect native woodlands.

"A reduction in deer density in specific areas will help to protect native woodlands. If Sika deer are contributing to this issue, they will be part of the cull in the areas covered by the deer management units," Minister Heydon added.

The IDMSG was established to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. 

It is made up of representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and Coillte.

Minister Heydon claims that DAFM is committed to progressing the implementation of an IDMSG report that was released in December 2023.

He said: "The report listed 16 actions, eight of which are recommended in the short term and eight 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 management units in known hotspot areas," Minister Heydon added.