Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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1883. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that poultry sales have been stopped across the Republic of Ireland; when he foresees sales happening again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19898/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The prohibition on gatherings of poultry is a risk mitigation measure in order to reduce the risk of the spread of Avian Influenza.

Ireland remains in the high-risk period (October to April) for the introduction of Avian Influenza (AI) however the risk levels and infection pressure are reducing with the departure of migratory birds, increasing temperatures and lengthening daylight hours.

During the current 2021/2022 high risk period, six poultry farms were affected with Highly Pathogenic AI with significant losses and in addition a total of eighty cases of been confirmed in wild birds in Ireland across 16 counties. The number of reports of wild bird mortalities have reduced over the last number of weeks which is a good indication of a reduction in infection pressure. However, the virus can persist.

My Department is currently actively reviewing the risk level and the continued necessity for the additional biosecurity regulations to protect the poultry populations which were put in place last November.  The measures include a ban on the assembly of birds, the requirement to confine of all poultry or captive birds such that wild birds and other animals do not have access to them and the application of stringent bio-security measures for poultry and other captive birds.

The legal requirement to confine/house poultry and other birds as a precautionary measure against Avian Influenza (bird flu) will be lifted from the 29th of April 2022. The decision to withdraw this requirement is based on a number of parameters which indicate a reducing risk of an avian influenza incursion - including the fact that no case of bird flu has been confirmed here in wild birds for a period of 4 weeks, reduced numbers of migratory waterfowl and increasing environmental temperatures and daylight hours.

However, I urge all flock owners to remain vigilant as, notwithstanding the reduced risk, there is still the possibility of the virus being present in the environment or being transmitted to their flock by wild birds. As such, the ban on the assembly of live birds for the purposes of show or sale (SI No 592 of 2021) and enhanced biosecurity requirements (SI No. 593 of 2021) remain in place.

Whilst I cannot provide a specific date that these measures will be removed, I am hopeful that we will be able to do so shortly.

The control of AI is critical for our poultry industry and stringent bio-security measures have been vital in mitigating the risk of spread of disease and in protecting poultry flocks across the island. These farm level requirements will remain after these regulations are lifted. All keepers of poultry are urged to continue to maintain the highest standards of biosecurity to protect their flocks and to report any suspicion of disease to their local regional veterinary office.