Greater vigilance for bird flu

Ireland: Senior officials, including veterinary and scientific experts, from the Department of Agriculture and Food in Dublin, as well as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland, have said the risk of bird flu reaching Ireland is probably low or remote.

However, they stated that they are committed to implementing the EU Commission decision to step up surveillance.

They noted the poultry industry’s economic importance, particularly in Border counties; the need to protect poultry farmers north and south and the population at large; and the need to ensure that any outbreak on the island of Ireland is rapidly identified and eradicated.