The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has today (Friday, February 21) welcomed confirmation that samples taken from a poultry flock in Monaghan have tested negative. 

The minister also acknowledged that poultry farmers across the country are concerned about the threat of avian influenza (bird flu).

"While this is great relief to poultry farmers locally and indeed the whole Irish poultry sector, it is also a timely reminder of the need to take every possible step to protect our poultry," the minister added.

He also made a point of thanking all of the people involved "in responding so effectively to this incident, including the farmer who reported it, the veterinary practitioner who notified it, and department officials in the Regional Veterinary Office and in the laboratories".

Minister Heydon today also emphasised the importance of biosecurity measures and stressed that it is the most effective way of preventing the virus spreading from wild birds into poultry, or between poultry flocks.

"The housing order which I introduced, in force since Monday (February 17) requires poultry and captive birds to be housed and prohibits gatherings of birds, in order to protect them,” the minister said.

The minister confirmed, that since early December, 2024, there have been six detections of avian influenza infection in wild birds in Ireland.

The first was in Co. Galway in early December, followed by a case in Co. Dublin in late December.

There were cases in Co. Donegal in mid-January, one each in Co. Westmeath and Co. Wexford in late January, and a sixth detection in Co. Wicklow in mid-February. 

The department has advised the public not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to report any episodes of sick or dead wild birds to their Regional Veterinary Office.