Ireland remains at low risk over the arrival of bird flu, according to Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan.
Following on from her comments yesterday that Ireland may escape bird flu altogether - given the migratory patterns of birds travelling to Ireland - Ms Coughlan said the Department was planning for every eventuality.
"We are working very closely with the British authorities as one might expect and at a cross-border level as well, being very very vigilant. We've done a lot of testing and are working very closely together at official level," the Minister said on RTÉ radio this morning.
Ms Coughlan also said the Department is working closely with Bird Watch Ireland and National Parks and Wildlife in assessing the risk.
"At present we are talking about a wild bird disease," Ms Coughlan said, adding that the Department is trying to ensure there is no cross-contamination between wild birds and the domestic poultry.
She said her main concern is for the €150 million Irish poultry industry.
"We are very concerned about the issue for the poultry industry here . . . that's why we'll be working very closely with our European partners." The Minister added that it is important to avoid the "hysterical situation in Italy, for example, where it [poultry consumption] has plummeted by 70 per cent".
Bird Watch Ireland development officer Niall Hatch said there was no immediate concern.
He said: "Outbreaks involving swans in Germany aren't immediately worrying here in Ireland because our population is resident" Birds on Baltic flyway were not going to come to Ireland, he added.
He said although ducks, swans and geese are the birds most at risk, they are going to be leaving Ireland within weeks.