Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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902. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position regarding the extension of the 16-week derogation for housing free-range layers in response to annual outbreaks of avian influenza; if he has requested the extension of such by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16605/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Poultry producers are obliged, by law, to keep their birds indoors because of the risk of Avian Influenza. There is a derogation under the EU Marketing Standards Regulations which allows for eggs from birds that are housed to be marketed as Free Range for a period of 16 weeks. The issue now arising is that the 16 weeks has elapsed for some birds, and the birds are still required by law to be kept indoors as the risk of Avian Influenza is still high. Under the EU Regulations, the eggs from laying hens that have been housed for a period of 16 weeks cannot be marketed as free range now that the derogation period has elapsed.

At the Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting on the 21st February, I asked the European Commission to consider this issue and I supported a proposal for an extension to the 16-week period because it is essential for bio-security reasons to keep these housing measures in place for as long as is necessary.

The European Commission advised that it was not possible to amend the legal requirement for the current outbreak of avian influenza disease in 2022. However, the EU Commission has committed to examine this issue as part of the on-going review of EU Marketing Standards Legislation.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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903. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position on vaccinating Irish poultry against avian influenza; if his Department has conducted an analysis with regard to the cost, impact or viability of such; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16606/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Given the scale of avian influenza outbreaks globally over recent years, this is a matter that is receiving renewed international attention.

Whilst it is recognised at that the use of an Avian Influenza vaccine could be useful in the future to help manage AI outbreaks in poultry and captive birds, it is not without significant challenges, including:

- Many non-EU countries refuse imports of live animals and food of animal origin from countries where vaccination is practised.

- There is currently no way to distinguish the antibody response to vaccination from that of infection

- Vaccinated birds may still become infected by the virus

- Circulating strains of AI vary year to year and therefore the effectiveness of any potential vaccine would be challenged by new and emerging strains. Vaccine production would need to be flexible and adaptable to protect again predominant virus strains in circulation at any one time, with financial impacts

Furthermore the source of virus spread is often wild birds, which are not amenable to vaccination. There are currently no vaccines with Irish market authorisation and vaccination in Ireland is prohibited.

My officials continue to engage with their counterparts and experts on the matter to try to find a workable solution to these issues. An evaluation of costs and benefits could be undertaken if and when the issues mentioned above have been worked through at an EU and international level.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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904. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of outbreaks of avian influenza in the State by year in each of the years 2012 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16607/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be returned within 10 days.