Hopes that foot-and-mouth disease can be kept out of the State received a series of setbacks yesterday with the announcement that the Northern Ireland authorities are looking at a "hot suspect" case of the disease in Co Tyrone.
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture in the North, Mrs Brid Rodgers, had said up to 60 sheep from the consignment that caused the initial outbreak in Meigh, Co Armagh, have not been accounted for.
To add further gloom, the rapid spread of the disease continued across Britain yesterday, with 183 cases now confirmed, 19 of them new. The Agriculture Minister, Mr Nick Brown, said up to 500,000 sheep might have to be slaughtered.
A suspected outbreak has also been reported in six cows in a herd of 113 on a dairy farm in northwest France. If confirmed it will be the first outbreak in continental Europe since the disease appeared in Britain last month. The herd is being slaughtered and test results are expected today.
The "hot suspect" case in the North was discovered at a slaughterhouse in Dungannon. It had been sent there from a farm near Augher, which is close to the Co Monaghan border. The animal was displaying symptoms of the disease but it will be 24 hours before it can be confirmed positive. Disappointment and concern was expressed by a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
Earlier the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, had expressed the hope that there could be an easing of restrictions on low-risk urban events in the State in a week.
The Minister, who said there was no case or suspected case in the Republic, refused to be drawn into criticism of the British government's handling of the disease. The Minister of State for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Hugh Byrne, has criticised Britain's handling of the crisis. Yesterday, Mr Eamon O Cuiv, Minister of State for Agriculture, said the British authorities "just don't seem to be taking it seriously". The Fine Gael MEP, Ms Avril Doyle, called for an emergency debate in the European Parliament.
Mr Walsh said he had no contact with the Northern authorities on the 60 missing sheep. He said 700 flocks in the Republic were under restriction as a precaution and he was awaiting the outcome of tests from a slaughtered flock in Co Louth. The Irish Times learned last night that CAB, the Criminal Assets Bureau, is involved in the investigations into the illegal importation of sheep into the Republic.
The criminal investigation into smuggling sheep from areas which may have been contaminated in Britain and the North is now being carried out in four western counties and Co Louth.
Before the news of yesterday's suspect case, the Gaelic Athletic Association, which had met Government officials, decided to allow school and college games to take place from March 24th and had planned the return of inter-county games from March 31st and April 1st.
The Irish Rugby Football Union, which also had discussions with the Department, had planned to resume provincial schools matches early next week with the agreement of the advisory committee.
These decisions had been taken on condition there were no further declared cases of foot-and-mouth disease on the island of Ireland. This now seems an unlikely prospect, according to veterinary sources in the North.