As foot-and-mouth continues a relentless spread across Britain, a leading vet has suggested that a strategic slaughter of all susceptible animals should be carried out in the exclusion zone in Co Louth.
"While this is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, my belief is that all animals within the exclusion zone should be slaughtered and destroyed," said Mr Sean O Laoide, of Veterinary Ireland, which represents veterinary organisations in the Republic, last night.
He said this additional measure would mean the slaughter of thousands of animals but it might prove to be very worthwhile, especially if there was any doubt about the integrity of Border controls.
The number of confirmed cases in the UK, including the Co Armagh outbreak, rose to 69 over the weekend.
Meanwhile, in the Republic, tests on sheep from a restricted herd in Co Louth were negative.
The investigation into how sheep from Carlisle, England, found their way to Athleague, Co Roscommon, has also intensifying. On Saturday, two detectives from the National Bureau of Crime Investigation (NBCI) travelled to Carlisle and met the livestock dealer from the midlands who sold the lambs to the Kepak meat-processing plant on February 20th.
Gardai said the meeting was by appointment and the man volunteered to meet officers. It is understood the dealer had been travelling in France and had learned of the outbreak of the infection on his return to England.
Detectives and the Department of Agriculture's own control inquiry team have intensified inquiries into the arrival of the lambs at Athleague. The inquiry has covered "all aspects of the situation, including interviews with managerial staff at the plant", a Department spokesman said yesterday.
The criminal investigation is running alongside the veterinary search for any possible infected animals from Britain and late last night dozens of farms were being checked by Department officials.
These included three farms in Co Carlow which may have imported lambs from Britain well before the outbreak in Britain; a farm in Castlebellingham, Co Louth; two farms in Co Monaghan; and a farm in Co Mayo which may have had imported stock from Britain.
"In most of the cases we have been called in to examine sick animals reported to us by farmers who may have had no contact with stock from the North at all," said a Department spokesman.
"We are also looking at stock which adjoin farms on which we know there have been imported animals and in Roscommon that is now running to nearly 40 farms. Some are being monitored and restrictions are being applied to others."
Meanwhile the movement of all animals has been banned unless a permit is supplied by the Department of Agriculture.