Carlow: The Department of Agriculture has confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) at a turkey farm in County Carlow, prompting immediate biosecurity measures to contain the spread.
A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been established around the affected premises, the department said in a statement. The restrictions aim to prevent the transmission of the disease to other poultry farms or wild birds.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) have confirmed that the risk to public health remains very low, but have urged the public not to handle sick or dead wild birds.
This is Ireland’s first confirmed case of bird flu on a farm since 2023. So far this year, more than 40 wild birds across the country have tested positive for the virus, including 12 cases at FOTA Wildlife Park, which was temporarily closed following the discovery. Similar outbreaks have also been reported in poultry farms across Europe and the UK.
Nigel Sweetnam, Chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Poultry Committee, said the outbreak was unlikely to impact turkey prices but acknowledged that it was “a worrying time for poultry farmers.” He stressed the importance of maintaining strict biosecurity practices to prevent further infections.
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon reiterated that biosecurity remains the most effective defence against avian influenza.
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