February 23, 2006

Ireland's experts advise against forced housing of poultry

The Irish government-appointed "expert group" on bird flu advised against the compulsory housing of poultry and other birds at this time, the Department of Agriculture said late Wednesday Feb 22.

The expert group, which met Wednesday to discuss preventing the lethal H5N1 strain of the virus, "did not consider that such a course of action was necessary at this time, though the group would keep the issue under continuous review".

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

The H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in eight EU states so far: Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia, Slovakia and Hungary. It has also been found in wild birds in Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey.

Irish Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan has already warned that compulsory housing of poultry will be necessary sooner or later, but said it's possible that the migratory patterns of birds affected might miss Ireland.

The government-appointed expert group includes veterinary and scientific experts and is chaired by Professor Michael Monaghan of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicines at University College Dublin.