The compulsory housing of Irish poultry stocks is not yet necessary, the expert group set up to advise Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan on avian flu decided yesterday.
It also decided that, while a ban should remain on poultry exhibitions, shows and markets, pigeon racing should be allowed under licence within Ireland, but would be under strict review.
A statement by the Department following yesterday's meeting said the group had reviewed the control measures which had been introduced by the Department and had reaffirmed its confidence in their adequacy at this stage.
"It again concluded that the circumstances did not yet exist in which compulsory housing was warranted," the statement said.
"The group did, though, note the Minister's recent advice to poultry flock-owners that they should be taking steps to ensure their ability to comply with such a requirement in the event of its introduction," the statement said.
"The group also stressed the need for flock-owners to ensure that the highest standards of biosecurity are being vigorously enforced at all times and noted that the Department is again writing to all flock-owners advising them of the need to ensure that all surface water sources are treated to inactivate any possible virus in the water," it added.