Bird flu virus has been found in two commercial turkey flocks in Carlow and Meath. File image. Photograph: Getty
Confirmation that the highly infectious bird flu virus has been found in two commercial turkey flocks means the disease threat has moved to a new level despite already being prevalent in wild birds.
This is because if it gets a hold in poultry flocks on the island of Ireland then it not only threatens supplies of turkeys up to Christmas but also the entire poultry sector.
The industry sustains 600 farmers and is worth more than €750 million a year in the Republic. There were €295 million of exports last year.
We are not facing a national lockdown – as happened with the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001 –
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