Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Lombard for raising this issue, which is obviously a very important one to our poultry sector nationally.

My Department is taking the threat of avian influenza H5N1 extremely seriously, as would be expected, and is working directly and diligently to protect the integrity of the sector and our poultry farmers. We are acting proactively to protect the industry.

My Department yesterday confirmed, as Senator Lombard pointed out, highly pathogenic avian influenza in samples from a second turkey flock in Monaghan. Avian influenza restriction zones have been established around both premises. Movement of poultry or poultry products within and through the zones is permitted only under licence and in compliance with strict conditions. The second case is quite close to the first so it makes limited difference to the 10 km and 3 km zones. Poultry keepers with flocks located within the restriction zones are legally obliged to comply with all zone requirements.

As Senator Lombard will be aware, Ireland is currently in the high-risk period, which runs from October to April, for the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza as a result mainly of the migration of wild birds returning to overwinter here from areas where the disease is widespread. These migratory patterns, coupled with lower temperatures and shorter daylight hours, which allow the virus to exist for longer in the environment, represent a higher risk of spread to our poultry flocks at this time of year.

This year and last a strain of the virus that is very contagious to birds, namely H5N1, has been in circulation across Europe. The outbreaks in the turkey flocks in Monaghan follow two recent outbreaks of the disease in small captive bird flocks in Dublin and Wicklow. In addition, there has been substantial evidence of the disease in our wild seabird population around the coast since July. As mentioned, highly pathogenic avian influenza is very contagious to birds. I take this opportunity to urge all poultry owners and keepers of captive birds to maintain stringent biosecurity measures to protect their flocks. The risk of incursion of highly infectious and economically damaging diseases such as this can be reduced through the practice of effective biosecurity measures at farm level. Strictly adhering to biosecurity measures will help prevent disease, whether exotic to or endemic in Ireland, from entering and spreading within farms.

I introduced statutory biosecurity regulations on 19 September as a precautionary measure to ensure that best practice is adopted by all keepers of poultry and captive birds. In addition, a confinement order for poultry and captive birds came into effect on 7 November, requiring flock keepers to confine all poultry and captive birds in their possession or under their control in secure buildings to which wild birds or other animals do not have access. It is important to note that housing is a support, not an alternative, to biosecurity.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed that, although the H5N1 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, the risk to humans is very low. However, members of the public are advised not to handle sick or dead birds and to keep their dogs on leashes in areas where any such birds are present. Anyone travelling from an area known or suspected to be affected with avian influenza or where wild birds have been found dead is advised not to come into contact with poultry or captive birds without prior cleaning and disinfection of clothing and footwear. It is important to note that there is no evidence of risk associated with consumption of poultry meat, poultry meat products or eggs. Properly cooked poultry products are safe to eat.

I reinforce again the need for vigilance and biosecurity. My Department closely monitors and assesses the disease situation and continues to be in regular contact with stakeholders. We all must work to keep biosecurity at the front of everything we do in order to reduce the spread of this disease and to protect our world-class poultry sector.