Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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902. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of salmonella outbreaks in each relevant county detected in 2023 to date; his Department’s response to these outbreaks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6826/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, as of 9^thFebruary 2023, 10 poultry flocks have been confirmed as positive for Salmonella Typhimurium and the number in each relevant county is listed below. For GDPR reasons where there are less than 5 flocks affected in a county, then the figure given is “<5”.

Fig. 1 No. Outbreaks per County 1^stJanuary 2023 to 9^thFebruary 2023

These flocks have all been depopulated by the owner and appropriate measures taken for public health reasons.

A National Salmonella Control Programme in poultry operates on an ongoing basis which includes regular sampling by the Department and farmers at multiple points during the stages of the poultry production cycle. This outbreak was identified because of surveillance under this Salmonella Control Programme, demonstrating its effectiveness.

My Department continues to work closely with the various food business stakeholders, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the National Reference Laboratory in order to determine the cause of the outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium and to mitigate risks of further outbreaks. This complex investigation is ongoing and involves very significant amounts of sampling and testing, including official sampling carried out by my Department and private sampling carried out by the company.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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903. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has identified the cause of salmonella outbreaks on poultry farms; the measures he proposes to reduce the risk of further outbreaks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6827/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This is a very complex investigation as there are many potential different sources of Salmonella infection. Our focus is on protecting the integrity of this industry which plays such a key role in so many communities across the country.

All possible sources are being investigated -such sources could include an infected Broiler breeder flock (as infection can pass via the hatching eggs), cross contamination of chicks in the hatchery, contaminated transport containers or vehicles, or contaminated feed.

The Department continues to work closely with the Food Business Operator, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the National Reference Laboratory in order to determine the cause of this outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium and to mitigate risks of further outbreaks. This involves very significant amounts of sampling and testing and includes both company and Official sampling.

The European Union has coordinated control programmes for Salmonella and there are targets set for the reduction of Salmonella in poultry in the European Union. The National Salmonella Control Programme is in place to reduce or control the prevalence of Salmonella in broiler flocks and broiler breeder flocks, with separate control programmes in place for other poultry.

This programme includes regular sampling by both the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and farmers at multiple points during the life stages of the broiler flocks. This outbreak was identified as a result of surveillance under this programme, demonstrating its effectiveness. This programme has been operating successfully for many years, with a very low prevalence of any Salmonella species identified in Irish broiler flocks.

In addition, all poultry farmers are aware of the importance of good Biosecurity on their farms to reduce risk of outbreaks of diseases. A RDP-funded Targeted Advisory Service for Animal Health measure is already in place as a support for assessing farm level biosecurity risks and is available at no cost to poultry farmers.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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904. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports he provides to poultry farms that are subject to salmonella outbreaks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6828/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the recent identification of Salmonella typhimurium in a number of broiler flocks which were identified as part of surveillance under the national salmonella control programme. In these cases the business operator undertook a cull of the birds to mitigate any food safety risk.

My Department has and continues to work closely with the Food Business Operator, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the National Reference Laboratory in order to determine the source of this outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium and to mitigate risks of further outbreaks.

This involves very significant amounts of sampling and testing by both the company and also by my Department.

My Department has made available free of charge to all poultry farms an expert-led Biosecurity Assessment to assist farmers in optimise their farm biosecurity practices.

There are no compensation measures available in respect of salmonella in broiler flocks.