Bird Flu: Minister announces housing order for poultry
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has announced the introduction of a compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds, to protect them from the risk of avian influenza (bird flu).
The minister has confirmed that the new rules will come into effect on Monday, February 17, 2025.
Since early December, there have been five detections of bird flu infection in wild birds in Ireland.
Cases have been confirmed in counties Galway and Dublin in 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 risk of avian influenza to our poultry has increased recently".
"I am taking this action to reduce the threat to our industry and to our poultry farmers’ livelihoods.
"Poultry and captive birds must be housed from Monday, February 17, 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," he added.
The minister also emphasised the importance of biosecurity when it comes to bird flu.
“Biosecurity is the single most effective way to prevent the virus spreading from wild birds into poultry, or between poultry flocks.
"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," he said.
Minister Heydon has discussed the threat of bird flu with his counterpart in Northern Ireland, Minister for Agriculture Andrew Muir.
"There has been strong cooperation between our departments on this issue. Minister Muir is introducing a similar order in Northern Ireland," he said.
Strict new biosecurity regulations for poultry were introduced on December 6, 2024 in response to the increased risk posed to Irish poultry flocks by the presence of avian influenza virus in wild birds in Ireland.
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.
In the event that it is outside business hours, you can contact the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026.
