This article is from page 17 of the 2005-10-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
FOLLOWING the worrying news of positive tests for birds in Turkey and Romania with Avian Influenza the Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan TD has announced a number of controlling initiatives in what she described as ‘a measured response.’
Firstly Minister Coughlan has welcomed the EU ban on all imports of live birds and untreated feathers from the countries and noted that imports of live poultry, eggs and fresh poultry meat from Turkey were already banned.
She has instructed her officials to request the assist- ance of Customs and Excise officers to provide further
support for her Department’s efforts at border inspection posts and she has arranged for the deployment of addi- tional Departmental resources at Dublin airport.
The Department has also issued detailed information to poultry flockowners on measures to reduce the risk of the introduction of Avian influenza into Ireland has published updated advice for travellers to and from af- fected countries.
Officials from the Department also met with colleagues from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to co-ordinate their strategies.
Avian Influenza has seen millions of chickens being culled in Asia with almost 60 people dying as a result of the flu.