Key facts
- Ireland has paid out €2.6 million in avian influenza compensation since 2023.
- Compensation is paid to animal owners whose livestock are culled due to bird flu.
- The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 governs these compensation payments.
Since 2023, Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has disbursed approximately €2.6 million in compensation to animal owners affected by avian influenza outbreaks. This financial support is mandated under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which allows for payments when the department directs the culling of animals due to the disease. The payouts are intended to mitigate the financial impact on farmers and animal keepers who must comply with mandatory culls to control the spread of the highly pathogenic avian virus.