Birdwatch Ireland criticises 'piecemeal approach' to avian flu deaths 

The grim sight on Warren Beach, Rosscarebry, West Cork, last week. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Birdwatch Ireland has received "hundreds of reports" of birds being found dead from avian flu but has warned the Government has no coordinated response in place to collect any of the carcasses to prevent the spread of the disease.

Niall Hatch, the NGO's head of communications, says the reports they are receiving involve thousands of birds which are washing up on the coast, particularly in the last couple of weeks

All of these bird have a virulent strain of the avian flu which hit Britain earlier in the summer and other parts of Europe as well, he said:

The sea bird that has most been affected is the gannet. We are seeing lots of those washed up on the coast.

Mr Hatch said they have been following Government advice asking the public to report dead or dying birds in their areas to the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine (DAFM).

"People have been doing that but then they have been contacting us saying 'nobody seems to be doing anything. The bird carcass is still on the beach'.

"The advice has been not to touch them and that is important because of the risk of this being transmitted to humans. The Department of Agriculture came back last week saying they had done some testing.

"They determined that avian flu is present in Ireland so that's the end of discussion. They aren't doing any more testing."

Mr Hatch said that department has insisted that it is not its job to collect the carcasses.

Question of public safety

"They are saying it is a matter for local authorities to do that. The Department of Agriculture's sole remit on this is the risk caused to poultry farming. But they haven't done anything on the remit of what happens to the wildlife? What happens to public safety?

"People are ringing us and saying 'is it safe for me to swim in the sea because these dead birds were there? or 'my dog went over to the dead birds on the beach' and when those safety enquiries go in to the Department of Agriculture all they come back with on safety is 'if poultry is fairly cooked it is perfectly safe to eat'."

Mr Hatch added that some local authorities are picking up carcasses while others are not, leading to a "very piecemeal approach".

In a statement, the department said its role is to conduct influenza surveillance, which forms part of their early warning system for the detection of circulating avian influenza viruses, thereby informing their assessment as to the level of risk the disease poses to Ireland’s poultry sector.

"Extensive collection of sick and dead wild birds, predominantly gannets, has now taken place right around the coast with widespread evidence of avian influenza(AI) virus circulating in wild seabirds at this time," the statement said.

"This has provided this Department with sufficient epidemiological information at this time."