Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has announced the lifting of the compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds that had been put in place due to bird flu.

The housing order, which was introduced in November 2025 to protect poultry and captive birds during the higher risk period of avian influenza, will be lifted from next Tuesday (May 5).

The biosecurity regulations that were also introduced in November will remain in place.

Minister Heydon commented: "The risk of avian influenza to our poultry is no longer as high as it had been in recent months and as a result it is an appropriate time to lift the housing order and prohibition on the assembly of live birds.

"Despite the challenges, farmers, vets, processors and my department have all worked together to reduce the chances of an outbreak which could have had such serious consequences for the wider poultry industry," the minister added.

However, he said that poultry farmers, flock keepers and members of the public should remain cautious.

The minister said: "It is important to note that the risk of avian influenza has not gone away and everyone must remain vigilant, especially around biosecurity of their flock and farm.

"I have left the Avian Influenza (biosecurity measures) Regulation in place for this reason," he added.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is advising members of the public not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to continue to report any episodes of sick or dead wild birds to their regional veterinary office or, if outside business hours, to contact the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026 or use the department’s Avian Check App.

Ireland is currently considered free from this strain of bird flu, with Minister Heydon saying in late January that the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) had published Ireland's self-declaration of freedom from the disease on its website, with an effective date of January 1.

Five outbreaks of HPAI were confirmed on poultry premises in Ireland during 2025.

Outbreaks were confirmed in turkey fattening flocks in counties Carlow, Meath, Monaghan, Laois and Cavan late last year.

Following disease control measures and surveillance within the restriction zones surrounding the affected premises, all restrictions related to those outbreaks were lifted as of January 4.