Ireland: avian flu regulations soon to be lifted

Ireland Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said that biosecurity regulations placed on poultry since last December will be lifted at the end of May. The announcement follows the lifting of the mandatory housing order, which was imposed in February and removed earlier this month. Heydon said that the risk of an avian influenza outbreak in the country’s poultry is currently lower than it was in winter months. Therefore, lifting regulations now is appropriate, although poultry farmers are still advised to implement preventive measures. In its latest data, the Department of Agriculture reported no new highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) cases in Irish poultry or wild birds in April 2025. However, the Department warned flock owners that the disease is still a risk for their animals and that biosecurity measures remain the best way to prevent it.