Compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds issue...

Compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds issued to combat bird flu spread

In a statement issued this afternoon, Mr Heydon said the order will come into effect on Monday, November 10. "Due to the increased risk of avian influenza to our poultry, I am taking action to reduce the threat to our industry and to our poultry farmers’ livelihoods,” he said. The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) had called on the minister to impose the order following an outbreak of the highly contagious disease amongst a flock of turkeys on a farm in Co Carlow which Mr Heydon said is a “small operation”. That outbreak has led to the implementation of a 2km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the implicated farm. In recent months, there have also been several cases of avian flu detected in wild birds in Ireland, mainly sea birds in coastal areas. Last month, around 23,000 chickens were culled at a commercial business in Omagh, Co Tyrone after suspected cases of the disease were detected. Today's News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, November 5 Nigel Sweetman, National chair of the Poultry Committee of the IFA, said containment of the disease is essential to prevent the spread. "Similar to covid, we all stayed at home when covid struck in 2020,” he told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1. "A housing order compels free range farmers to keep their birds indoors and to restrict movements onto the site which is very important also, that it keeps unnecessary visits out of farms.” Dr June Fanning, chief vet at the Department of Agriculture, outlined the “simple” biosecurity measures that must be taken by farmers during an outbreak. "Even if you've only one or two birds or a commercial poultry flock, it's changing dedicated footwear, changing clothes before you interact with the birds, feeding them away from wild birds, reducing that interaction between wild birds and kept birds, reducing the number of visitors onto a holding, cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.” Prior to today’s announcement, Ms Fanning commented said that a housing order is not the protective measure that is required now. “Housing alone won't protect the birds because obviously the virus can be walked in on dirty footwear into a house. However, it is an additional measure.” She reassured consumers that Christmas turkey supplies, will be as of now, will be unaffected due to the isolated nature of the latest outbreak on the Carlow farm. Fota Wildlife Park in Cork yesterday confirmed that it will remain closed to the public until the end of November following an outbreak in the facility a month ago which killed three geese, with a fourth goose presenting with symptoms of the disease. “As part of Fota Wildlife Park’s engagement and consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, a comprehensive strategy of targeted mitigation measures is being undertaken at the Park,” Fota said in a statement. “This includes isolating the bird species in its care from the wild population, and the construction of temporary aviaries to house birds. This is being done to limit the risk of further infection from wild birds.”

In a statement issued this afternoon, Mr Heydon said the order will come into effect on Monday, November 10.

"Due to the increased risk of avian influenza to our poultry, I am taking action to reduce the threat to our industry and to our poultry farmers’ livelihoods,” he said.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) had called on the minister to impose the order following an outbreak of the highly contagious disease amongst a flock of turkeys on a farm in Co Carlow which Mr Heydon said is a “small operation”.

That outbreak has led to the implementation of a 2km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the implicated farm.

In recent months, there have also been several cases of avian flu detected in wild birds in Ireland, mainly sea birds in coastal areas.

Last month, around 23,000 chickens were culled at a commercial business in Omagh, Co Tyrone after suspected cases of the disease were detected.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, November 5

Nigel Sweetman, National chair of the Poultry Committee of the IFA, said containment of the disease is essential to prevent the spread.

"Similar to covid, we all stayed at home when covid struck in 2020,” he told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1.

"A housing order compels free range farmers to keep their birds indoors and to restrict movements onto the site which is very important also, that it keeps unnecessary visits out of farms.”

Dr June Fanning, chief vet at the Department of Agriculture, outlined the “simple” biosecurity measures that must be taken by farmers during an outbreak.

"Even if you've only one or two birds or a commercial poultry flock, it's changing dedicated footwear, changing clothes before you interact with the birds, feeding them away from wild birds, reducing that interaction between wild birds and kept birds, reducing the number of visitors onto a holding, cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.”

Prior to today’s announcement, Ms Fanning commented said that a housing order is not the protective measure that is required now.

“Housing alone won't protect the birds because obviously the virus can be walked in on dirty footwear into a house. However, it is an additional measure.”

She reassured consumers that Christmas turkey supplies, will be as of now, will be unaffected due to the isolated nature of the latest outbreak on the Carlow farm.

Fota Wildlife Park in Cork yesterday confirmed that it will remain closed to the public until the end of November following an outbreak in the facility a month ago which killed three geese, with a fourth goose presenting with symptoms of the disease.

“As part of Fota Wildlife Park’s engagement and consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, a comprehensive strategy of targeted mitigation measures is being undertaken at the Park,” Fota said in a statement.

“This includes isolating the bird species in its care from the wild population, and the construction of temporary aviaries to house birds. This is being done to limit the risk of further infection from wild birds.”