This article is from page 36 of the 2007-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
LIKE an annoying relations at Christ- mas time, Irish farmers can’t seem to shake the threat of foot and mouth disease. Restrictions are once again in place across the island of Ireland and Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan and her Northern Irish counterpart Michelle Gildernew.
The latest outbreak, which comes just days after the state lifted re- strictions imposed in the wake of the August scare, saw a ban on UK farm exports and the setting up of disinfection points at Irish ports and airports.
IFA President Padraig Walshe de- scribed the latest outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK is most
UrVwmeeneetes
‘The IFA and its members are to- tally committed to all emergency measures to prevent FMD reaching this country. The latest outbreak in the UK, which comes just six weeks after the original Surrey outbreak, highlights the highly infectious and virulent nature of foot and mouth disease,” he said.
‘This time frame is a lot longer than it takes to transport beef from Brazil which is one of the control measures the EU rely on. FMD 1s endemic in Brazil and the European Union are taking unnecessary risks with the importation of 330,000 tonnes on an annual basis.
“The USA, Japan and a number of other counties are not prepared to
take the risk involved with Brazilian beef imports.”
Just last week, Minister Coughlan had announced the discontinuation in Ireland of bio-security measures, such as the removal of disinfectant points from ports and airports, after Britain was declared free from foot and mouth.
A ban on the importation from Britain of live cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, as well as fresh meat, meat products, raw milk and other animal products was also lifted.
The latest case of foot and mouth disease was discover on Wednesday last on a farm some 30 miles from the outbreak centre of last months small outbreak in southern England.
The origin of the latest outbreak is
still unclear but experts are research- ing the possibility of a link between the latest outbreak and the August outbreak.
Meanwhile, the ICSA has called for the Pirbright laboratory, where the first outbreak is believed to have originated, to a safer, more protected location.
A report issued last week by the UK authorities confirmed that the FMD outbreak was caused by a leak, and at least five lapses in bio — secu- rity measures.
“In the USA, all these kinds of fa- cilities, which handle dangerous and Sensitive materials such as viruses, are located off — shore, as a further barrier to accidental leaks,” said Mal- colm Thompson, ICSA president.