Department of Agriculture issues tender for culling services in event of bird flu outbreak
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is seeking tenders for a €1m depopulation services contract for bird flocks on poultry premises in the event there are outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu).
The National Disease Control Centre (NDCC) is a division of the DAFM responsible for "maintaining contingency preparedness for, and control of exotic transboundary animal diseases".
According to the tender request description by the department, under this remit, the NDCC may require the depopulation of poultry premises in the event of an outbreak of diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) and Newcastle disease because of the "potential impact an outbreak of either disease is likely to have on animal health, public health or trade".
"Avian influenza remains a constant threat to the Irish poultry industry because of the risk from migratory wild birds," the department said.
"Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have also been detected in wild birds in Ireland in recent years.
"Newcastle disease is also a threat to Irish poultry due to potential circulation in wild birds and pigeons and sporadic outbreaks occurring in other EU member states."
In accordance with EU legislation governing both of these diseases, it is required that stringent measures are put in place in the event of a confirmed outbreak, including humane culling of all poultry on the affected premises in order to prevent the onward spread of the disease.
The department said it requires "an end-to-end service for poultry depopulation using whole house gassing method using carbon dioxide, or other inert gas".
The department said it is "extremely important to authorities in Ireland to deal with outbreaks of high impact poultry diseases" such as bird flu "in a timely manner in order to mitigate against the spread of the disease".
There is an estimated total poultry population of approximately 31.5m birds in the Republic of Ireland, according to the department's register.
Based on the 2019 poultry survey, there are over 7,000 active poultry holdings registered with the department.
Of these, over 1,300 keep greater than 1,000 birds, approximately 700 report capacity for over 10,000 birds, and over 250 holdings have capacity for greater than 40,000 birds.
While Ireland emerged largely unscathed from the bird flu emergency last year, in November 2022, outbreaks of the disease were confirmed in two poultry flocks in Co Monaghan, which led to around 8,000 birds being culled.
Strict measures were put in place to protect other flocks a year ago; farmers were ordered to house all poultry. This rule was then lifted in the following April.
The UK and France suffered significantly with bird flu with huge culls taking place, and it had been feared this time last year that Ireland would experience the same fate.
France in recent months has begun mass vaccination of its ducks against bird flu.
Along with there being no outbreaks of bird flu in poultry in Ireland this year, there are fewer wild birds showing up positive for it, Department of Agriculture senior superintending veterinary inspector Paul Corkery has said.
The overall situation currently "looks good" and it is hoped an outbreak in poultry can be avoided — but Mr Corkery warns that "we can never be sure".
"We’re looking at the risk, and the risk at this stage appears to be lower than it was last year that we would have an outbreak in poultry," he said.
Mr Corkery added that in some wild bird populations “there seems to be more immunity”.
