The Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, has said that even though he hoped that final foot and mouth results tomorrow from Louth and Wexford would be clear there can be no let up in the fight against the disease. He warned that if the disease is not contained in Louth then the tourism industry could be wiped out and permanent damage done to the agriculture sector. This afternoon, the Minister said that he remained extremely worried about foot and mouth because of the worsening situation in Britain and the Netherlands.
Final results are expected tomorrow on sheep from Bunclody and Piedmont. Two initial tests have been negative. The Minister said that in his view he did not think the time was right for the races in Fairyhouse to go-ahead. He also called on punters not to travel to Aintree, but he said that horses with a permit could travel provided the horses or their vehicles do not return to Ireland.
Mr Walsh acknowledged that tourism is taking a knock because of foot and mouth, but he said recent relaxation of the curbs had allowed some visitor activities and conferences to proceed. He suggested that the restrictions in place would protect tourism, the economy and agriculture in the long term. In another development, culling of all sheep on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth resumed this morning and will continue for most of the week.
In the North, the cull of healthy sheep in the Meigh area of South Armagh where one case of foot and mouth disease occurred is expected to finish today. A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture in the North said that 7,000 sheep, including lambs, have been slaughtered and sent for rendering. Originally the figure for the cull had been estimated at 2,500 however, this did not take into account the number of sheep in mountain areas and recently born lambs.
The operation had to be completed as part of the regionalisation package agreed with EU vets, due to come into force tomorrow, which would allow the North to resume exports. Agriculture Minister Bríd Rodgers is expected to announce more details of how her Department intends to handle the situation in the Newry and Mourne area when she makes a statement to the Assembly today.
