Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will make a statement on the procedures in place between officials of her Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland to counter the threat from avian flu. [31037/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My officials and their colleagues in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Belfast enjoy a consistently good working relationship on a range of issues of mutual interest and concern. This relationship includes formal meetings in the context of the North-South Ministerial Council as well as very regular, informal contact between officials in both Administrations.

On the specific issue of the threat posed by avian influenza, my officials and their Northern counterparts are in very frequent contact and have discussed the issue at meetings on three separate occasions in recent weeks. In addition, both before and since this particular series of meetings began, ongoing informal contact has been and is continuing. The two Departments have been in contact as recently as this week considering their respective responses to the most recent developments. This level of informal contact will be maintained and, as necessary, the two Departments will meet to discuss their respective positions.

The officials of the two Departments have undertaken to maintain very close contact and co-operation on this issue which is of such mutual concern and, specifically, have agreed to exchange the results of their wild bird surveillance programmes, which are essential elements in terms of early detection of the disease.