There are to be no further anti-bird flu control measures introduced in the State following the confirmation last evening that bird flu had not reached the island.
The Northern Ireland authorities had said dead swans found in Antrim and Down had tested negative for H5N1 avian flu, calming fears that the flu had reached Ireland.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan, who had called a meeting of her expert group following the confirmation of the disease in Scotland, said no further control measures would be introduced at this time.
A statement from her office said the expert group, chaired by Prof Michael Monaghan, endorsed the conclusion of the department's risk analysis that the development in Scotland represented a marginal increase in the risk to Ireland, based on current information.
The group agreed that existing control measures are appropriate at this stage and again concluded that the point had not been reached at which the compulsory housing of free-range and organic poultry was required.
The group also endorsed the department's approach to the increasing threat which it described as "proportionate and consistent" and advised that the department maintain that approach, particularly in light of the most recent developments.
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said the Government was better prepared for an outbreak of bird flu than it was for foot-and-mouth in 2001. He hoped any outbreak would not damage the economy, but accepted that an "island-wide" infection would have a negative impact.
The Tánaiste Mary Harney said Ireland was as well prepared as any country for an outbreak of the bird flu.
"Nowhere in the developed world and nowhere in Europe is there any evidence H5N1 has been transmitted on to humans," she said yesterday.
The Department of Agriculture in Dublin confirmed that the number of calls to its lo-call line had increased dramatically since the Scottish outbreak and have risen from around 20 a day to nearly 100 for the past two days.
Among the birds being investigated by department veterinary staff is a dead goose from a commercial flock in Bailieborough, Co Cavan.
Flock owners in Co Monaghan, where two-thirds of the €150 million Irish industry are based, were reported yesterday to be unhappy with a contingency plan which would see their flocks eradicated in the event of an outbreak of the disease there.
In Britain, poultry owners were hurrying to bring their free- range flocks into shelter following Thursday's announcement.
Nine birds found dead in Scotland have been found to be clear of the disease, but five others, including four swans, are still under investigation.
The World Organisation for Animal Health this week reported a major outbreak of the avian flu in a commercial turkey flock in Germany.
It said the location of the outbreak was at Mutzschen, Muldentalkreis, Sachenland, where 800 birds had died and 13,500 birds were destroyed.