Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach seo ar maidin. I thank the Minister of State for his presence.

Earlier this week, as he knows, a case of avian influenza was confirmed on a commercial turkey farm in Clontibret, County Monaghan. This case comes after two last week, one in County Meath and one in County Carlow. There was also one in Northern Ireland. As the Minister of State may be aware, around three quarters of poultry produced in Ireland comes from the Cavan-Monaghan area. This is therefore a huge issue for us and one of major concern. It is a particularly stressful time for farmers involved in poultry. I express my sympathies and support to those who have been affected by these outbreaks. This is already the most stressful time of year, particularly for turkey producers, with the seasonal nature of their market.

We can only hope that the stringent biosecurity measures in place will mitigate further outbreaks going forward. The highly pathogenic avian influenza situation is distressing not just because of the measures affected farmers must take, but also because the financial worry and upset to the business, to the livelihood and to the family, especially at this time of year. Most poultry farms are family farms and as such there is a wider human factor to these outbreaks for both the families and local communities.

I have spoken to local farmers and their representatives about their concerns and they had many questions that need to be answered urgently. In dealing with the situation, clarity is vitally important. Clarity will reduce stress not only for those involved, but also for the poultry farmers in general. First, farmers want to know when poultry keepers can restock if they are within a 3 km protection zone and what procedures must be followed, including any required inspections or testing. They need to know whether restocking is permitted, how long the restrictions will remain in place and what compensation will be made available to affected farmers. Farmers in a 3 km and 10 km protected zone need to know when to expect a phone call from the local regional veterinary office and whether they will receive advice on-site and what level of follow-up will be there for them.

Given the recent increase of outbreaks, what contingency measures are in place to deal with potential staffing or resourcing shortages in the Department or among veterinary contractors? What measures are in place if the number of affected sites increases further? I understand that if the funding was announced in budget 2026 for the Department of agriculture to include a provision for a disease fund. This is vitally important. When will this fund be established? How will it benefit poultry farmers?A farmer whose flock level gets influenza will get some compensation but other farmers within the 3 km zone are afraid they will be left empty-handed, with no income and no ability to generate income with the restrictions. They need to be looked after. These farmers have repayments to make and families to support, particularly at this time of year. I would also be grateful if some solace could be provided for these farmers and the poultry industry. What much-needed measures can we look forward to being in place, particularly for the farmers in the 3 km zone? They are sitting there at the moment and cannot restock. They fully accept why they cannot restock but they have bills to pay and houses to keep warm in the event of stock coming in. We need to know what is available for those farmers.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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Before I call the Minister of State, I welcome to the Gallery the students from St. Joseph's secondary school in Lucan. They are exceptionally welcome, as are all who travel with them. We are dealing with Commencement matters now, which are topical issues that Senators raise. They have four minutes to raise them and then the Minister comes in and responds in four minutes and there is a small bit of engagement and debate. That is what is happening now while the students are here. I call on the Minister of State.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I, too, extend a warm welcome to the students form St. Joseph's and thank them for showing an interest in what we do here on behalf of the citizens of Ireland.

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this issue. He has been in touch with me already about this and I know it is something he has a real concern about. I express my sympathy, and that of the Government, with the flock owners impacted at this really difficult time in counties Monaghan, Meath and Carlow. I acknowledge the impact this outbreak is having on the wider poultry industry. I come from a small farm myself and I know the impact the outbreak of a disease has on a family and community, and the flock owners in this case are no different. I also thank all flock owners for their ongoing co-operation and for adhering to the biosecurity measures the Senator talked about and the housing regulations that are now in place. By working together, we can help to protect our poultry sector during this really challenging time.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has moved swiftly to implement disease control measures in line with national and EU legislation. Following the confirmation of this disease, the Department is working closely with industry to protect the poultry sector. Restriction zones, as the Senator identified, of 3 km protection and 10 km surveillance, are established around the affected premises, with strict movement controls on the movement of poultry and poultry products. Veterinary investigations and surveillance are ongoing. A mandatory housing order for poultry and captive birds, with a ban on gatherings of different birds from different holdings, came into effect on Monday, 10 November. It is a dynamic and evolving situation, particularly during the current high-risk period for avian influenza due to the migration of wild birds and the extended survival of the virus in cold temperatures. Our Department continues to monitor the situation closely and is working closely with the industry and Northern Ireland colleagues to mitigate the risk and control the disease insofar as we can.

Unfortunately, Ireland has lost its highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, disease-free status on foot of these recent outbreaks. This does not stop trade but it does have some specific consequences for trade in poultry meat and eggs. The HSE has advised that the risk to public health from the strain of the avian influenza currently circulating is considered low for the general public and low to medium for occupationally exposed people.

In regard to the compensation measures, the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and in the event of a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. The compensation may relate to the animal that is culled or to an animal product, animal feed or similar item that is destroyed in relation to the outbreak. Compensation may not exceed the open market value of the animal or indeed the item and compensation is payable only to the owner of the animals or items affected. My Department will, of course, actively engage with the owners of the stocks impacted at this stage. As we are in the early stages, it is hard to quantify the impact. What I have outlined for the Senator is that legislation and what it provides for. The Department will engage with the herd owners through local officers, as it would already be doing. As we move through this phase we will work with herd or flock owners to identify what compensation is payable based on direction given by the Department.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. I have a number of questions, the answers to which the Minister of State may not have but I would appreciate if he could get them for me as quickly as possible. Have the turkeys at the Clontibret site been culled yet? If not, when will that take place? What assurance can the Minister of State give regarding adequate and secure supply of CO2 gas to support humane culling operations, particularly if further outbreaks occur? Will the Minister of State share the evaluation tables with the industry? Which contractor gas-culling company currently holds the Department contract for emergency response in this instance? Will post mortem reviews from recent outbreaks be shared with industry stakeholders to ensure transparency and learnings from the response? What impact will these outbreaks have on our poultry trade in the medium and long term?

I come back to the farmers in the 3 km zone who are not down but who are in that zone because their neighbours are down. They are sitting on their hands, unfortunately, and cannot take in birds. They understand why that is the case and have no problem with that but they have no income at the moment. They need to keep houses warm in the event of getting some flock in. There is a cost attached to that. They cannot live on fresh air. Those people need to be compensated and it is my understanding that a fund was to be set up between the relevant stakeholders, including farmers, producers and the Department, so compensation would already be there in the event of a disease outbreak like this or some other outbreak. Where are we in relation to that fund? These people need to be compensated. We are talking about families at Christmas. It is a very sensitive time. People are under financial pressure, like many of us, but particularly these people. They need to be looked after.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I fully recognise the difficult and negative impact this is having on the lives and livelihoods of flock owners, particularly at this time of year. It is effectively their harvest period. They are heading into what would have been the time to make good on their year's work, recoup costs and make the little bit of profit that would allow them to exist into next year. That is really challenging. That is recognised.

From a Department perspective, what we have to do right now is limit to the greatest extent possible the spread of this disease. It is about containment in the first instance. In parallel with that, we have to support flock owners and poultry farmers through the compensatory measures set out in the legislation.

The Senator listed a series of detailed questions, the answers to which I will get to him insofar as I can. The information we can release, we will. They are very specific questions. The IFA poultry division is in regular contact with the Department on these matters. If it is a help, I am happy on behalf of the Minister to meet with the Senator and some representatives of the flock owners to help clarify issues. It is recognised by the Government and Department how difficult this issue is for all concerned. We want to work together to limit the spread, try to get this off our books, get a disease-free status and then get back to having unrestricted movement. It is important for us to work with the people most affected at this time. I leave it open to the Senator to come back to me if he wants to meet.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Senator and thank the Minister of State for giving us that extra time. It is appreciated. It is a very important matter. We are waiting for the next Minister. I thank the Minister of State for giving his time this morning.