An outbreak of avian flu has been confirmed in a turkey flock in Co Laois, the Department of Agriculture has said.
The outbreak, the fourth in November, was detected last Friday.
Three bird flu outbreaks were confirmed in commercial turkey flocks in Co Carlow, Co Meath and in Co Monaghan earlier in the month.
Fota Wildlife Park in Cork is also currently closed because of an outbreak among its animals.
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Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said: “First and foremost, I want to express my sympathy with the flock owner concerned, and with the other flock owners who have been impacted by outbreaks in recent weeks in Co Monaghan, Meath, and Carlow as well as staff in Fota Wildlife Park in Cork.
“This is a dynamic and evolving situation, particularly during the high-risk period for avian influenza and my Department has moved swiftly to implement disease control measures in line with national and EU legislation.”
Mr Heydon said restriction zones have been established around the farm, with strict movement controls on poultry and poultry products. Veterinary investigations and surveillance are ongoing.
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A mandatory housing order for poultry and captive birds has been in effect since Monday, November 10th.
The risk to public health from the HPAI H5N1 strain of avian influenza in circulation is considered low.
“I want to thank all flock owners for their ongoing co-operation and for adhering to the biosecurity and housing regulations in place. By working together, we can help protect our poultry sector during this challenging time,” said Mr Heydon.
Members of the public are urged not to touch dead or dying wild birds they may encounter, but to instead report them to on the Department of Agriculture Avian Check app.
It is not expected that there will be an impact on the supply of turkeys available for Christmas, as 1.5 million birds are bred annually for consumption.
