It will be known by the end of next week whether foot-and-mouth has entered the Republic, the Minister for Agriculture Mr Walsh said today.
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The Minister walks over a disinfectant mat in Dublin Airport. Photograph: Paul Anderson
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He added that if Northern Ireland remained disease free for the next ten days then the island of Ireland could be regarded as free from the virus. He also said he was hopeful that the EU would take the same view.
He also confirmed that emergency legislation will be passed into law later today that allows for fines of up to £100,000, jail sentences of up to 5 years and the seizure of property and vehicles, for anyone breaking laws on the movement and importation of goods and livestock.
"We are on red alert, we are insisting on strict controls and there will be no let-up in that," he said.
Mr Walsh also announced the setting-up of an expert group to advise him on refining these emergency measures. He said he hopes it will make its first report to him by the middle of next week.
The group is to standardise instructions for any resumption of normal trading and transport of animals.
The group will be chaired by Professor Michael Monaghan, Dean of the UCD Veterinary Faculty.
The Minister said that there should be no doubt about the need to maintain the controls for as long as is necessary and at the level necessary to ensure that the disease is prevented from entering this State.
Mr Walsh was speaking at Dublin Airport where he inspected the disease control facilities.
He commended Aer Rianta for the measures they have put in place saying: "there are no points in which it is possible to pass through the airport without crossing disinfectant mats."
He also confirmed there are now 663 farms under restriction, 3,000 sheep have been slaughtered and that the slaughtering of livestock is continuing but stressed that these were precautionary measures.