Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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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?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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Before you come back in, Senator Lombard, I wish to welcome visitors from Our Lady of Mercy College, Booterstown. It is lovely to see young students able to come into the House again. They are all very welcome.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I wish to be associated with those words.

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive statement. I wish to home in on just two points. One is small flock keepers' awareness that they need to restrict their flocks. I know many families that might have four or five hens in the back garden. Is there a register of that information? Is there communication happening in order that such families are made aware that they should be restricting the movements of those small flocks?

The other issue relates to the time of the year. If one were to pick an inappropriate time of the year to have a breakdown like this, it would be this time of the year, with turkey units at full capacity. Is the Minister fearful about the turkey trade, given the stage of the cycle we are in, weeks away from processing these large numbers of turkeys running into Christmas? Some 3,800 turkeys were destroyed in the previous outbreak. I have no idea how many are involved in the current one. The Minister might inform the House if he has those details. Is he fearful about where we are in the timeline in respect of the turkey industry?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Anyone with captive birds should ensure that they are housed and that every possible biosecurity measure is in place to protect the birds because, obviously, the risk is high at the moment. The disease is in the wild bird population and is highly pathogenic and highly infectious, so every step must be taken. That is why I put the housing order in place.

The run-up to Christmas is obviously an important time of year for the turkey trade. With the measures we have in place, I am very confident there will be no supply issue. It is very unfortunate that we have seen two turkey farms affected so far. Both had approximately 4,000 turkeys, so the numbers are very small in the context of our national numbers. Some 2 million families will soon be serving Christmas dinner around the country. Obviously, however, these outbreaks are significant for the two farms concerned. Last year we had six cases in commercial flocks over the course of the season and there were six cases in Northern Ireland last year as well, so it is certainly possible we could see more cases. This disease is highly infectious. That is why we have put in place the most secure measures possible and advice to farmers as to how to keep their flocks safe. However, the risk remains, as we have seen this week, with a second flock now infected. It is therefore crucial that, over the coming period, everyone takes every possible step. The risk will remain but, working together, we will ensure there is no wider issue for the sector and no impact on the availability of turkeys for Christmas.

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. It is a challenging time for the farmers concerned. Where there is depopulation involved, compensation is available for the farmer concerned. Obviously, that does not take away the enormous strain, stress and loss for the affected farmers, but there is a compensation scheme in place for them.