Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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157. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking concerning the shooting season and the potential to further spread highly pathogenic avian influenza. [47577/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and they are keeping the situation under very close review. 

On a number of previous occasions, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (together with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine), examined the benefits of introducing wild bird hunting restrictions to help limit the spread of avian influenza.  It was concluded that generally hunting wild birds, does not significantly increase the risk for immediate long distance spread of avian influenza infected wild birds.  These activities represent a very low risk of increasing (above existing levels) the geographic spread of wild birds infected with avian influenza over long distances or into new areas.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are the lead for Avian Influenza advice and any decisions are considered and reached jointly with them.