Pet farms hoping for flocks of visitors after bird flu restrictions lifted

Leahy's Open Farm in Midleton, Co Cork, was forced to keep birds indoors due to avian flu restrictions.

The final restrictions on poultry farmers due to avian flu have been lifted as the Department of Agriculture confirmed there were just 18 cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) detected so far this year.

The lifting of restrictions means the return of free range eggs to supermarket shelves, and pet and poultry farmers can once again receive visitors onto their land.