The Minister said: "Kerry Red Deer are a unique feature of our heritage. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has been monitoring red deer in Killarney National Park and has recorded a significant decline in red deer density in recent years. I have, therefore, decided that, in order to conserve the special lineage of red deer in Kerry, to prohibit the hunting of these unique species."

The Minister also said he believed that hunters would support this measure and he was aware that some hunting organisations had urged his Department to take action to address the poor status of the Kerry red deer. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Minister's Department will be closely monitoring compliance of the initiative.

The Minister has also decided to commence a more general review of the Open Season Order for other deer species. He said: "The last substantial change to the Open Season for deer species was in 2005 so I believe it is timely that a review is now undertaken. I would ask that various interest groups partake in this consultation process as it is important that I have the views of a wide range of interests which will assist my Department in considering if changes are needed to the Order."

A copy of the order, Wildlife (Wild Mammals) (Open Seasons) (Amendment) Order 2012, will be made available on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service at www.npws.ie .

Details in relation to the consultation process on the Open Season for deer species will also be available over the next few days on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service at www.npws.ie .

The Curlew has traditionally had a one month hunting season (November) each year but hunting curlew is now being stopped as these birds are considered threatened from a conservation perspective.

The Minister said: "A number of surveys and studies in the past year have estimated a rather dramatic reduction in the total number of breeding pairs of Curlew in the country. These estimates indicate a decrease ranging from 60% to 96%. "

The Curlew has been red-listed as a globally threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2007. The European population is experiencing similar problems and has been evaluated as declining.

The Minister added: "This decision will be welcomed by conservationists and hunters. I am aware that some hunting bodies have already introduced voluntary hunting bans for the curlew and I commend them for this action. It is expected that further research on this and other bird species by way of Species Action Plans will assist in understanding the factors involved in their decline."

A copy of the order, Wildlife (Wild Birds) (Open Seasons) (Amendment) Order 2012, will be made available on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife service at www.npws.ie .