The order was announced last week in response to a rise in the number of bird flu cases in wild birds and aims to are aimed at prevent house birds from interacting with wild birds.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue described the order as “a precautionary measure”.
The Department of Agriculture announced the order last week and stated that it was being implemented because "this measure is being taken against a background of the confirmation of disease in wild birds along the coast since July, increasing risk levels due to colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours, as well as recent confirmation of disease in a wild bird inland."
It was noticed that outbreaks of bird flu had been recorded in flocks of domesticated birds in Dublin and Wicklow counties' coastal regions, where it had previously been identified in wild birds.
From November 2021 to April of this year, Ireland had a law requiring the confinement or indoor housing of chickens.
In addition, the Department noted that outbreaks of highly virulent avian influenza have recently been discovered in flocks of chicken in several other European nations, including Great Britain.
Since the beginning of October, the disease has been discovered in more than 200 deceased wild birds in the UK, where it has been confirmed at over 90 different locations.
As a result, today sees the implementation of a comparable order in the UK.
"Whether you keep a few birds or thousands, they must be housed under cover from today to protect them from this very contagious disease," declared Christine Middlemiss, the chief veterinary officer of the UK.
