"This is our worst nightmare," says Co Monaghan poultry farmer Andy Boylan. He was responding today after an order was issued to house birds by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue because of bird flu.
The move is in light of the rise locally in bird flu cases including confirmation of the disease yesterday in a dead swan in Co Cavan. Mr Boylan says the situation has become very concerning.
He added that in the 60 years of intensive poultry farming in Co Monaghan, he has never experienced anything like the impact, in recent times, of the rise in bird flu infections.