There has been another outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza birdflu in a poultry flock.

On Friday 21 November, affected birds were discovered in a turkey flock near Ballybrittas, Co Laois, between Portlaoise and Monasterevin.

It's the sixth domestic poultry flock to have been affected on the island and the fourth in the Republic of Ireland.

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It's the first outbreak in 11 days, dashing hopes that the outbreak had been contained.

It's understood there were around 30,000 birds in the flock. That would almost double the amount of birds depopulated in one swoop, as the three previous flocks in counties Carlow, Meath and Monaghan had a combined total of around 40,000 birds.

Increased mortality

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that a sudden increase in mortality was observed in the flock. Samples were collected and submitted to the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory for avian influenza testing and on 21 November 2025 highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was confirmed.

As with the three previous outbreaks, a 3km protection zone and a 10km-wide surveillance zone have been established across parts of Co Laois and Co Kildare.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said: "Unfortunately, another outbreak of avian influenza has occurred, this time in a turkey flock in Co Laois, detected on 21 November.

"First and foremost, I want to express my sympathy with the flock owner concerned and with the other flock owners who have been impacted by outbreaks.

"This is a dynamic and evolving situation, particularly during the high-risk period for avian influenza and my Department has moved swiftly to implement disease control measures in line with national and EU legislation.

"Restriction zones have been established around the affected turkey premises, with strict movement controls on the movements of poultry and poultry products. Veterinary investigations and surveillance are ongoing.

"A mandatory housing order for poultry and captive birds and a ban on gatherings of birds from different holdings came into effect on Monday 10 November," he continued.

"The HSE-HPSC has advised that the risk to public health from the strain of avian influenza currently circulating is considered low for the general public and low to medium for occupationally exposed people.

"I want to thank all flock owners for their ongoing co-operation and for adhering to the biosecurity and housing regulations in place. By working together, we can help protect our poultry sector during this challenging time," concluded the Minister.