The wild whooper swans were found at Clondroon lake in Milltown, Co Galway, the Department said on Friday. This brings to 12 the number of wild birds diagnosed with the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza in the Republic so far. With one Northern Irish case detected in a wild swan in Co Derry earlier this month, all provinces on the island have now been infected since Christmas.

In Britain, the UK’s chief veterinary officer confirmed a H5N8 case in a small flock of chickens at a farm near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, also on Friday. The 25 chickens either died or were culled.

Restrictions including the obligation to keeps all farmed birds indoors or at least completely segregated from wild birds remain in place in the Republic and in the UK. However, authorities in Britain have said they would allow free-range flocks outdoors again in low-risk areas from 28 February. Northern Ireland and the Republic are currently reviewing their own rules.

St Patrick’s Day presents a milestone for free-range producers, who will lose the precious label if they remain prohibited from letting their birds out past the 12 weeks elapsed since restrictions came into force on 23 December.

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