Third bird flu case detected in Ireland since December

A third case of avian influenza has been detected in Ireland since Minister for Agriculture introduced new strict biosecurity regulations for poultry on 6 December 2024.

It comes as an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was introduced in Northern Ireland yesterday following three confirmed cases of bird flu in wild birds in three different countries.

Since early December there have been three detections of avian influenza in Ireland, all in wild birds. One in Galway, one in Dublin and the most recent one confirmed in Donegal in mid-January.

Up until the discovery of the buzzard with H5N1 virus, Ireland was the only area in Europe where bird flu had not been detected this winter.

In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said: “With six instances of avian influenza in wild birds on the island…