A COMPULSORY HOUSING order for all poultry and captive birds comes into effect today following recent bird flu outbreaks.

Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said the order has been introduced in a bid to protect non-infected birds from the risk of avian influenza after two cases of the disease were found in the Republic.

On Tuesday, it was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture that a second outbreak of bird flu was confirmed on a commercial turkey farm in Co Carlow. Another outbreak of the disease was then confirmed on a turkey farm in Kells, Co Meath.

Bird flu is also impacting Northern Ireland. A compulsory housing order came in last week and it’s understood thousands of birds have been culled.

Bird flu is a type of flu infection that spreads among birds, primarily wild birds – the main symptom is sudden death in birds. Humans can get bird flu, but it does not spread easily to humans.

Today’s order requires that all poultry and captive birds must be housed or confined in such a way that they do not have access to other poultry, captive birds, or wild birds.

This reduces the opportunity for contact with potentially infected wild birds, which is one of the main ways in which the virus can spread.

Heydon said he was taking this measure due to the increased risk of bird flu to poultry and to reduce the threat to the “industry and to our poultry farmers’ livelihoods”.

Heydon also sought to emphasise the importance of biosecurity, which he said “remains the single most effective way to prevent the virus spreading from wild birds into poultry, or between poultry flocks”.

The order applies to all bird keepers, including commercial, backyard and hobby owners.