Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 195: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the actions being taken to counter the threat of avian flu; her plans for a public awareness campaign particularly in respect of foreign travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7341/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Avian influenza, or bird flu, is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The Department of Agriculture and Food is responsible for controlling avian influenza in birds and mammals other than humans. That Department has contingency plans in place and all questions relating to these plans should be referred to my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan.

The health sector's role in respect of avian flu relates to the human health implications that would arise were there to be an outbreak of avian flu in this country. My Department works very closely with the Department of Agriculture and Food in this context and there are ongoing meetings between officials to discuss issues of mutual concern. The Department of Agriculture and Food is also an active participant in my Department's influenza pandemic expert group.

The overall aims of pandemic planning are to reduce mortality and morbidity and to minimise the resulting disruption to society. However, the consequences of a global pandemic are still likely to be serious. Pandemic planning can only mitigate the effects. The Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive work closely together on pandemic planning on a number of fronts. First, the influenza pandemic expert group is updating expert guidance. Second, the pandemic influenza operational response plan is being updated in line with the most up to date expert advice. This work is being progressed through working and implementation groups established by the Health Service Executive within the following functional areas, namely, surveillance, health services, public health measures, vaccines and antivirals, etc., communications, laboratories and materials management. Third, the Department of Health and Children has established a standing interdepartmental committee to consider issues which go beyond the health aspects of an influenza pandemic, such as border controls and suspension of travel, travel advices, school closures, suspension of other gatherings, and possible security issues etc. This committee will assist the Department of Health and Children with planning for such an emergency and will also be available in the event of an emergency arising.

The spread of H5N1 to poultry in new areas is of concern as it increases opportunities for further human cases to occur. While neither the timing nor the severity of the next pandemic can be predicted, the probability that a pandemic will occur has increased. Nevertheless, the World Health Organisation level of pandemic alert remains unchanged at phase 3: a virus new to humans is causing infections, but does not spread easily from one person to another.

People intending to travel to countries or regions affected by avian flu are not being discouraged from so doing. However, they are advised to avoid contact with wild birds and live poultry and to avoid live bird markets, farms and other places that may be contaminated by bird faeces and to take other sensible precautions, including advice about eating and handling poultry and poultry dishes.

Information on avian influenza is available on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre website, www.hpsc.ie, under the health topics section and a fact sheet for travellers forms part of this information.