February 22, 2006

Ireland's expert group to discuss bird flu plan

The Irish government-appointed expert group on bird flu will meet Wednesday Feb 23 to discuss preventing the virus here and moving commercial poultry indoors, a government spokesman said Tuesday.

He said the group would advise on the circumstances that would lead to the compulsory housing of domestic poultry and other birds, a measure provided for by European Union legislation.

Irish Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan has already warned that so-called "compulsory housing will become necessary sooner or later".

The group includes veterinary and scientific experts and will be chaired by Professor Michael Monaghan of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicines at University College Dublin.

It will meet as health service officials here warn that Ireland's cash-strapped health service would find it difficult to deal with any bird flu pandemic.

But, while Coughlan said farmers should be vigilant, she has also said that Ireland could potentially avoid bird flu given the migratory patterns of birds.

The country's EUR360 million poultry industry has around 2,000 commercial poultry flocks--many of which are already reared indoors--and employs 6,000 people.

Elsewhere in Europe, Bosnian authorities have started a limited poultry cull of about 4,400 birds, a day after two dead swans tested positive for the H5 subtype of bird flu.