Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the co-operative efforts being undertaken by EU member states to establish protection for citizens in the event of an avian flu outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6806/06]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had recent discussions with his European counterparts with regard to avian flu protection in the event of an outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6805/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 112 together.

As the House is aware, the H5N1 virus, first identified in poultry in south-east Asia two years ago, has since been confirmed in a number of other Asian countries, in west Africa, the Caucasus, western Europe, and in an increasing number of EU member states including, most recently, Germany and France. As the Minister for Agriculture and Food has noted, the role of migratory birds in spreading the virus is such that there are obvious limitations on what can be done to prevent the virus's introduction into Ireland. Much of her Department's focus, therefore, is on equipping ourselves to identify any outbreak quickly and to move to ensure its speedy eradication if it arrives here.

At its meeting on 18 October 2005, the General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, resolved to keep the issue of avian influenza under close review and to return to it as the situation requires. The GAERC considered the matter further at its meeting on 7 November 2005 and received reports from the Presidency and Commission. Avian influenza is also discussed in other Ministerial Council formations, primarily agriculture, which considered the matter at its meeting on Monday last. In addition to the ministerial meetings, the issue is receiving constant attention at official level at meetings of the chief veterinary officers and at the standing committee on the food chain and animal health.

The Commission has moved swiftly to apply safeguard measures to all affected countries. As a precautionary measure, the Commission adopted at an early stage several decisions to ensure that no poultry meat, untreated meat products or birds other than poultry, such as ornamental and pet birds, are imported from countries where avian influenza has occurred. In the coming days the Commission will adopt further decisions on measures to be taken by member states in the case of an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in wild birds and in commercial poultry. These measures will further reinforce EU legislative provisions for dealing with an avian flu outbreak. As the House is aware my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, is continuing to review and modify contingency arrangements to minimise the risk of an outbreak of avian influenza in Ireland and thereafter to control and eradicate any disease outbreak.

The possible implications of avian influenza for human health are also under consideration at EU level, primarily by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council which had a detailed discussion on the matter at its meeting on 9 December 2005. An informal meeting of EU Health Ministers will take place in Vienna later this week to discuss further the possible impact of avian influenza on human health. At official level, a special expert group has been established for the purpose of improving strategic co-ordination at EU level, for sharing views and best practice among member states on issues related to pandemic influenza, and for discussing the international aspects of any possible outbreak.