Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said he hopes to lift highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, or bird flu, related restrictions “in coming weeks”.

A compulsory housing order for poultry and captive birds in was introduced in November last year, following an outbreak of bird flu in a commercial turkey flock in Co. Carlow.

Subsequently, there were a number of confirmed cases of bird flu in commercial flocks in November and December 2025 on the island of Ireland.

In January of this year, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) published Ireland's self-declaration of freedom from the disease on its website, with an effective date of January 1.

Meanwhile, detections of avian influenza in birds in Europe have begun to decline, according to a March report from EU health officials.

However, earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 within a flock in Co. Tyrone.

A Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) was established around the poultry premises near Omagh.

Risk

Minister Heydon make the comments on bird flu restrictions in reply to Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan, who tabled a parliamentary question requesting an update on current poultry housing restrictions

The minister said: “My department implemented S.I. No. 532/2025 - Avian Influenza (Precautionary Confinement of Birds and Restriction on Assembly of Live Birds) Regulations 2025 effective from November 10, 2025.

“The outbreak in Co. Tyrone of HPAI earlier this month demonstrates that there is still a risk of HPAI, in conjunction with the detection of HPAI in a wild swan in the south of the country.”

However, the minister said he believes that with the increase in temperatures as Ireland moves into spring and consequent effects on the migration of wild birds, he "would hope to be in a position to be able to lift these measures in coming weeks, once the risk profile indicates it is safe to do so.”