Ireland steps up bird flu alert as risk rises

IRELAND was today on heightened alert for an outbreak of bird flu as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern moved to calm rising public fears over the deadly virus.

With calls to the Government’s bird flu hotline soaring in number since the discovery of an infected swan in Scotland, ministers admitted the threat to Ireland had increased.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan said she was ready to impose new control measures if needed as Fine Gael attacked what they branded the Government’s slow response to a potentially devastating disease.