'Sheer number of deer has gotten out of control' - TD
Fianna Fáil TD, Michael Cahill has said that deer are a "huge problem" in Co. Kerry, both in terms of road safety and the spread of lime disease.
The Kerry TD told Agriland that the "sheer number of deer has gotten out of control," which is why there have been calls for deer to be culled.
He said: "Deer is a huge problem in Kerry, has been for years. There have been multiple accidents involving deer.
"Politicians have been involved in accidents, not me, and senior road officials have been involved in accidents. The amount of accidents you hear about, and the near misses is frightening.
"It’s not just in the vicinity of the national park anymore, it’s all over the county. There is deer where there was never deer before. Of course, they can roam and roam for miles.
"That’s why there has been calls for culls. This has been something that I have raised when I was a member of Kerry County Council, indeed many of the councillors have raised it. They are a very real danger on our roads," the TD said.
Deputy Cahill believes that more fencing is also needed to combat the issue.
"They’re a lively strong animal and they can jump out in front of you at any time. I have called for fencing many times. Even if they fence the road around the national park, that would be a big help in it’s own right," he added.
Deputy Cahill has also called for a dedicated lime disease unit to be installed in University Hospital Kerry.
He believes that diagnosing lime disease is very difficult for GPs, and many people end up going abroad to get a diagnosis.
"Lime disease was totally unheard of at one time in Kerry. It’s quite common in so many different parts of the county now.
"There are no plans yet, but I will keep raising it. We need a dedicated unit because it’s very hard for GPs to diagnose.
"The longer the period after the bite, the more damage it is doing. It’s a horrible illness. It has to be caught early."
