S.I. No. 532/2025 - Avian Influenza (Precautionary Confinement of Birds and Restriction on Assembly of Live Birds) Regulations 2025

1. All necessary measures to reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry or other captive birds are kept.

2. All necessary measures to minimise the risk that poultry or other captive birds will become affected with avian influenza through exposure to manure, slurry or other products.

3. Effective vermin control, including preventing the entry of wild and domestic animals to land or premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept.

4. Feed and bedding must be stored in such a manner that other animals, including wild birds, do not have access.

5. A person who has contact with poultry or other captive birds must take all reasonable measures to avoid the transfer of avian influenza virus to or from land or premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept, including cleansing and disinfection of equipment, vehicles and footwear that has been in contact with poultry or other captive birds.

6. Provide at all entry and exit points of land or premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept, disinfection points containing sufficient amount of a disinfectant that is effective against avian influenza virus used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

7. All necessary measures must be taken to prevent access by wild birds to land or premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept.

8. Provide feed and water to poultry or other captive birds in such a way that is not accessible to wild birds.

9. Take all necessary measures to prevent overgrowth of vegetation or accumulation of uncovered water on the land or premises.

10. Remove from land or premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept anything that might attract wild birds from the premises such as fallen fruit or uneaten feed.

11. Take all necessary measures to thoroughly clean and disinfect buildings and equipment at the end of each production cycle, using a disinfectant that is effective against avian influenza viruses at the right concentration.

12. In respect of poultry or other captive birds referred to in Regulation 3 (1) (b), an outdoor area to which poultry and other captive birds have access must be fenced to confine the birds and must be actively managed to ensure-

(a) the area is not contaminated with feathers or faecal material from wild birds and all reasonable steps are taken to remove such contamination, if present,

(b) the area is fenced to keep the poultry or other captive birds confined within the area and to prevent wild birds from having access to the area,

(c) access to open or permanent standing water is restricted by fencing-off and netting ponds, standing water or waterlogged land,

(d) feed and water and bedding must be stored indoors, in such a manner that they are not accessible to other animals, including wild birds,

(e) poultry and other captive birds are fed indoors or under a covered area in a manner that the feed and water is not accessible to wild birds,

(f) appropriate use is made of devices such as streamers, bird scarers or foils to discourage wild birds.

(g) carcasses are removed immediately from the area,

(h) regular cleansing and disinfection are carried out on all concrete walkways, paths and similar surfaces to which poultry or other captive birds have access,

(i) there is regular inspection of the area, and

(j) all necessary measures are taken to prevent overgrowth of vegetation or accumulation of uncovered water on the land.

13. Captive raptors (birds of prey) may be exercised outdoors provided contact with wild birds is avoided.

GIVEN under under the Official Seal of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine,,

5 November, 2025.

JUNE FANNING,

An officer authorised to authenticate the official Seal of the Minister.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(

This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.

)

These regulations provide for the housing of domestic poultry and captive birds and the restriction on assembly of live birds as precautionary measures against risk of avian influenza.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

11

th November,

2025.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by

section 36

of the

Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013

(No. 15 of 2013), hereby makes the following regulations