Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
828. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports his Department has provided to the flock owners affected by avian influenza subtype H5N8; the counties in which outbreaks have been detected; the number of farms concerns; the number of birds culled at each farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41691/20]
View answerMy Department has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N8 in seven wild birds in counties Cork, Limerick, Mayo and Monaghan. No case of HPAI H5N8 has been confirmed in poultry flocks or other captive birds. The individual wild bird findings serve as a reminder that the avian influenza virus is currently circulating in the wild bird population in Ireland. The virus can spread from the wild bird population to poultry farms, through direct contact and in particular through faeces from wild birds infected with the virus. This poses a risk to our poultry flocks and industry.
On the 1st December, I introduced two Statutory Instruments under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. These regulations require flock keepers to apply particular bio-security measures for poultry and other captive birds as a precautionary measure against Avian Influenza. The regulations also include a ban on the assembly of birds.
My Department continues to closely monitor and assess the disease situation and maintains close contact with stakeholders on the matter.
The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by my Department in the event of an outbreak in that herd or flock of certain diseases, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The compensation may relate to the animal that is culled, or to an animal product, animal feed or similar item that is destroyed in relation to the outbreak. The compensation may not exceed the open market value of the animal or item.
In 2017, my Department engaged an external consultancy firm with specialised knowledge of the poultry industry to develop valuation tables relating to the most common species and types of poultry in Ireland, to be used to determine compensation payable in the case of an outbreak of poultry disease that necessitates a cull. These valuation tables are updated on a six-monthly basis.
