The Minister for Agriculture has said there has been a significant increase in consumption of poultry meat here in recent weeks - despite the outbreak of bird flu in Scotland.
Mary Coughlan also said the risk of the virus reaching Ireland has slightly diminished over the past fortnight.
She also repeated that properly cooked poultry is safe to eat.
EU Ministers are next week expected to consider a package to compensate poultry farmers for losses they have incurred because of a drop in prices due to bird flu.
