Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 September 2022
316. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that are being put in place to safeguard wild bird populations against the risk of avian flu outbreak; if he will develop a surveillance, testing and safe disposal programme; if he will put measures in place to stop the unnecessary disturbance of wild birds that may be affected by the virus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45270/22]
View answerAs I’m sure the Deputy is aware, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is currently circulating in breeding seabirds around Ireland. There have been unprecedented numbers of reports of sick and dead wild birds to my Department in recent days. Over the last two weeks in particular, large numbers of dead gannets have been detected at breeding colonies at sea and are now being washed up ashore.
My Department’s role is to conduct avian influenza surveillance, which forms part of my Department’s Early Warning System for the detection of circulating avian influenza viruses, thereby informing its assessment as to the level of risk the disease poses to Ireland’s poultry sector. While my Department is responsible for the protection of the health of Irish poultry, wildlife comes under the remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
Local Authorities are responsible for the collection and disposal of dead animals, including birds, on publicly owned lands e.g. beaches, I understand that they already have systems in place whereby such 'Category 1' material can be appropriately disposed of.
I am informed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that, overall it is not possible to prevent HPAI from occurring in our wild bird populations. This summer a number of measures were instigated with a view to reducing transmission rates of AI within and between seabird colonies. These measures included a suspension of seabird ringing activities throughout the State and changes in practices of seabird conservation wardens and researchers at various seabird colonies around Ireland. Now that the breeding season is coming to an end and winter and passage migrant birds are arriving, further measures which may be of assistance to reduce impact on our wild bird populations from AI are under consideration by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
