Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is good to have the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine here. I sought this debate to get an update on the unfortunate situation with avian flu. I acknowledge the importance of having the senior Minister before us this morning. Since I tabled this matter, there has been a further escalation in that a second flock in the north of the country has been infected. That is unfortunate.

I have a little bit of knowledge when it comes to poultry because many years ago we had a lot of turkeys at home. Avian flu is an issue people are always concerned about. This flu first came into the country in the mid-1990s. It mainly affects wild birds but it can cross-contaminate poultry flocks. That is a significant issue for the community, in particular in the northern half of the country where we have so many poultry units. This is the second outbreak that has necessitated the putting in place of restrictions.

In many ways, the Minister's response could be very interesting. How severe is the outbreak that was identified in the past 24 hours? Some 3,800 turkeys were destroyed on foot of the previous outbreak. What is the estimate for the current outbreak? Will a similar number of birds be affected? It is an unusual time of the year in that poultry units are virtually at full capacity. The units will be cleaned out in the coming days and weeks in the run-up to Christmas. They are currently at maximum capacity and corresponding value so compensation will arise for the communities affected.

I seek clarification today from the Minister on a few issues. The first is the implication for Northern Ireland. Many units are located north of the Border. We are one entity across this island when it comes to animal health. The Minister might indicate the position in regard to making sure that we are all working together on the issue on a cross-Border basis.

Could the Minister give his view on the spread of the disease? This is the second flock that has been contaminated. The previous flock of 3,800 birds had to be destroyed. A new restriction zone was put in place yesterday due to the disease being identified in a new flock. What work is happening in the area within the restriction zone? Could the Minister outline how many flocks are currently restricted?

Another issue that arises relates to smaller flocks, which is a dynamic that has materialised in particular in the past eight to nine years. Many of us might have four or five broiler hens in particular in the back garden. How are they going to be affected by the issue? Are we putting restrictions on them and are they to be locked up as well? I refer to cases where people have four or five hens rather than big commercial flocks. How are they going to be affected by the new restrictions being put in place?

Given the Christmas trade, we could not pick a worse time of year to have avian flu affecting large commercial turkey flocks in particular. Does the Minister have concerns about the production and slaughter of these birds in the next ten to 12 days? Does he fear that more issues will arise in terms of outbreaks of avian flu? This is akin to the outbreak in Newcastle in the United Kingdom some years ago. Although the issue is slightly different, the potential for damage to the flocks and the industry is significant. It is very important to have the senior Minister here before us because timing is everything in politics. When I tabled this matter last week, there was no indication that a second flock would be contaminated. Could the Minister provide an update on the second flock?