The Head of the National Disease Control Centre at the Department of Agriculture has warned that a compulsory housing order for poultry should be taken "very seriously" by farmers and free range poultry owners.
Dr Eoin Ryan said the order would be in place to protect animals like chickens, ducks and turkeys from the risk of contracting avian influenza from contact with wild birds that could be infected.
The order will come into effect from next Monday after bird flu cases were detected in wild birds across Ireland.
The measure was announced yesterday by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, who said the risk of bird flu had "increased recently".
"I am taking this action to reduce the threat to our industry and to our poultry farmers' livelihoods," he said in a statement.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr Ryan said all free range birds should be brought indoors for the duration of the high risk period.
He said biosecurity was still the most effective tool to protect against bird flu. All owners should be aware of the elevated risk and take practical measures to reduce that risk, he added.
"All birds are at risk from this ... an outbreak of bird flu can have really severe consequences for the poultry involved, farmers and for the industry here."
Dr Ryan advised members of the public who may come across a sick or dying wild bird not to touch or approach it, as there is a low risk the infection could be passed on.
He said sightings should be reported to the Department of Agriculture, adding that staff would test a selection of birds.
He said the order did not mean food safety is at risk.
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A similar measure will be in place in Northern Ireland.
A captive bird temporary control zone (CBTCZ) was introduced in Northern Ireland last week.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said the 3km zone around a nature reserve in Magherafelt, Co Derry, followed results of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a "small number of captive birds".
In his statement, Minister Heydon said he had discussed the bird flu threat with his counterpart in Northern Ireland.
"There has been strong cooperation between our departments on this issue. Minister [Andrew] Muir is introducing a similar order in Northern Ireland," he said.
