The Department of Agriculture has imposed a mandatory housing order for poultry and captive birds, effective from 10 November, following the first outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on a farm in the country since 2022.
A swift seasonal upturn in Europe of avian influenza has raised concerns among governments and the poultry industry after it ravaged flocks around the world in recent years.
So what is bird flu?
Avian influenza, or bird flu as it is commonly known, is a virus that's actually from the same family as human flu viruses.
But obviously it mainly affects birds - especially wild birds, such as ducks and geese, as well as domestic poultry like chickens and turkeys, and the latter is the focus of the recent spread of bird flu.
In Ireland it's mainly being spread by wild birds.
At the moment much of continental Europe and the UK are experiencing significant outbreaks, far worse than has been seen here in recent days.
Wild birds migrating to Ireland who can carry the virus are the big risk to it taking hold here.
It spreads the same way most viruses do; through direct contact with infected birds, contaminated surfaces, and the saliva or droppings.
If a bird contracts bird flu it will likely get extremely sick and die.
Interestingly, with previous strains infected birds were observed to be dying quite quickly, within 24 hours.
But it's reported the latest strain, highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, is taking up to 72 hours to kill birds, and this is obviously a worry, because it gives more time for the virus to spread.
Can people get bird flu and does it pose much of a risk to them?
Yes, they can contract bird flu, but infections among humans are rare.
It can happen if people for example have close, unprotected contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.
If a person becomes infected, the symptoms are usually mild and can range from a sore throat or a cough to a mild fever.
In rare cases symptoms in humans can be more severe (e.g., causing respiratory issues).
However, person-to-person transmission of bird flu is extremely limited, with sustained spread in people not observed.
What measures are in place to try to limit the spread of the virus?
Biosecurity measures are the first line of defence against bird flu.
Since the start of this month the Department of Agriculture has put stricter biosecurity measures in place, because of the higher risk.
This involves limiting access to a farm to as few people as possible, and those who are on-site have to disinfect footwear and clothing at various points on the farm, and even have separate clothing for different areas.
Then in the event of an outbreak on a poultry farm, restriction zones are put in place around the site to manage the situation and reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
For example, with the two outbreaks on commercial turkey farms this week, in each case a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone were implemented.
These are virtual zones, meaning there is no physical cordon. Within the 3km protection zone any bird not culled is tested for bird flu.
To move birds in and out of these zones, a vet certificate is needed.
Restriction zones are monitored by the Department but are largely operated on a trust basis.
These restrictions generally stay in place until a farm is depopulated and disinfected, with this process taking up to a month.
Finally, there's the housing order announced yesterday, which comes into effect next Monday. This means all poultry flocks and captive birds in the country have to be housed or kept indoors to stop them mixing with potentially infected wild birds.
A similar measure for Northern Ireland is in place from today, so by Monday all poultry on the island will be subject to a housing order.
What is the Department of Agriculture saying about the latest outbreaks?
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon described it as "really disappointing".
He said the housing order alone will not stop the spread of the disease, which is circulating among wild birds.
He said the most important measure that we all can take is enhanced biosecurity measures.
Minister Heydon also said Ireland is heading into the most dangerous time of the year for avian flu, which comes in with migratory birds.
On why the housing order will not take effect in Ireland until Monday, Mr Heydon said that not every owner will be in a position to house their flock immediately and will have to get housing ready.
How worried should we be about the situation with bird flu getting worse?
Bird flu is currently rampant across continental Europe and is spreading quickly in the UK too.
The current H5N1 strain is proving to be particularly virulent and is spreading aggressively.
So far this year in Ireland more than 40 wild birds have tested positive for the virus, but it's hoped the housing order as well as strict biosecurity measures will help reduce the spread.
However, if outbreaks are confirmed in areas with a high concentration of poultry farms (such as in border areas in Cavan and Monaghan) there could be a devastating impact on multiple commercial operations.
For example, if a farm doesn't have a case of bird flu itself but a neighbouring farm does and is within 10km (the surveillance zone limit), then it could essentially be locked down and have its business severely restricted for an extended period.
The high-risk period for bird flu lasts until the spring, so Ireland could be dealing with a heightened risk potentially until April 2026.
Is this likely to impact the supply of Christmas turkeys?
It's a worrying time for the poultry sector with many farmers' operations at serious risk in the event of a bird-flu outbreak.
But there's also concern over a knock-on effect on the food-supply chain, especially in the context of the availability of Christmas turkeys.
It's understood the first confirmed cases on a commercial farm this week (Carlow) is a relatively small operation with no other poultry farms around it.
But the outbreak near Kells in Co Meath, was on a much larger farm which is believed to supply turkeys to many of the major supermarkets.
It looks like this situation is escalating, and quickly, and these outbreaks could easily have an impact on the food supply chain, and potentially the availability of Christmas turkeys.
Nonetheless, depending where this situation goes in the coming days and weeks, we could be looking at significant disruption to turkey supplies.
While if the virus spreads to chicken farms then chicken and egg supplies could be impacted too.
Are farmers compensated if their flock is culled due to an outbreak?
The bird flu situation poses a huge financial risk to poultry farmers, if they have an outbreak.
If there is a case on a farm, all the birds are culled, with exclusion zones implemented that cause huge disruption.
Farmers are compensated for the loss of any culled birds, but it can take time for them to buy new flocks and get their business back up and running and there is no compensation for loss of business.
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) is calling for a disease compensation fund to be put in place by the Government to help with the financial burden caused by an outbreak.
The IFA says such a fund could be jointly funded by farmers and the State.
What's the advice to the public?
Members of the public are advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds they come across, and are asked to report them via the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026, or by using the Department of Agriculture's 'Avian Check' app.
Bird flu poses little risk to humans, while there is no risk to food such as poultry meat or eggs, so long as they are cooked and prepared properly.
