A compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds has been announced to protect them from the risk of bird flu.Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced the introduction, which will come into effect on Monday 17 February.
A compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds has been announced to protect them from the risk of bird flu.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced the introduction, which will come into effect on Monday 17 February.
Since early December, there have been five detections of avian influenza infection in wild birds in Ireland - one in Co Galway in early December, one in Co Dublin in later December, one in Co Donegal in mid-January, and one each in Co Westmeath and Co Wexford in late January.
Minister Heydon said that the action is aimed to reduce the threat to the poultry industry and to Irish poultry farmers’ livelihoods.
“Poultry and captive birds must be housed from Monday 17 February, as this will reduce the opportunity for contact with potentially infected wild birds, which is one of the ways in which the virus can spread.
“Where housing captive birds or poultry is not possible, they must be confined in such a manner that they do not have access to other poultry, other captive birds or wild birds, for their own benefit.”
Regulations
Members of the public are advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to report any episodes of sick or dead wild birds to their regional veterinary office or, if outside business hours, to contact the national disease emergency hotline on 01-492 8026.
Strict new biosecurity regulations for poultry were introduced on 6 December 2024 in response to the increased risk posed to Irish poultry flocks by the presence of avian influenza virus in wild birds in Ireland.
“Biosecurity is the single most effective way to prevent the virus spreading from wild birds into poultry, or between poultry flocks,” added Heydon.
“All those who have poultry or kept birds must take strict precautions and exercise the highest standards of biosecurity to protect your flocks from the threat of avian influenza and to protect the poultry sector in Ireland.
“I have discussed the threat of avian influenza with my counterpart in Northern Ireland, Minister Muir, and there has been strong co-operation between our departments on this issue. Minister Muir is introducing a similar order in Northern Ireland.”
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