Several farmers attending the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) presidential hustings in Dungarvan on Tuesday night, raised issues around the sharp increase in the deer population and the surge in TB as a result.

Some 16 debates will take place between deputy presidential candidates Alice Doyle and Pat Murphy and presidential candidates Francie Gorman and Martin Stapleton over the next number of weeks.

Discussions

On Tuesday in Dungarvan, dairy farmer Tony Ryan from Ballymacarbry said that he "hasn't a fence left in the place" as a result of over 300 deer invading his farm.

"The TB eradication has been going on for years and years, it's a gravy train and we ain't getting the gravy.

"What are ye going to do to stop it? I haven't a fence left in the place, they pull them down, they eat all the grass and we're not going to get a cull through [legislation], but we need a healthy population of deer.

"I don't mind 15 or 20 running around the place, but I've got three and four hundred - it's unacceptable lads and I don't know how much longer [I can] keep going," he explained.

'Just horrendous'

Another farmer in the room said that the topic of TB has been heating up over the last number of years in Waterford, but it has gotten significantly more serious in the last few months.

"What's going on at farm level is just horrendous. Have we any insight in how we can do something about it?," he asked.

In response to the deer issues, Stapleton argued that the onus is on the deer forum to control population numbers.

"Until we get to a situation in this country where the Government is willing to put enough money into controlling TB in badgers and deer, we will not stop the problem and the gravy will continue," Stapleton added.

Meanwhile, Gorman argued that there needs to be money in the upcoming budget to carry out a deer cull. He also said that the deer forum must deliver solutions quickly.

"If we see at an early stage that that forum isn't delivering, we call it out. Already, it seems to me to be taking too long to come forward with recommendations," he said.

In conclusion, both presidential candidates gave closing briefs highlighting why farmers should cast their vote for them.

Gorman said that if he was elected IFA president, he would work hard, keep his feet on the ground and restore the IFA to the political power it once was.

Stapleton said that if farmers voted for him as president, he would bring the association back to one that farmers were proud of. He said that he will listen to farmers and also work closely with Macra so that the maximum possible supports are put in place for young farmers.