The Department of Agriculture is continuing urgent inquiries into a report that a lorry carrying livestock to the Virginia area of Co Cavan came from the British abbatoir at the centre of Britain's foot-and-mouth disease crisis.
Up to 500 extra gardaí have been drafted in to the border region as part of the efforts to stop the importation of UK animals and meat products into the Republic following the outbreak.
It is believed a Northern Ireland-registered lorry which delivered pigs to the Cheale Meats abattoir in Essex last Thursday, returned to the North with sheep which were then delivered to the Virginia area.
Department of Agriculture spokesman Mr Paul Savage said an inquiry was still in its early stages but insisted the department would take action to prevent the spread of the disease if necessary. "The Cavan inquiry is the only one so far initiated," he said.
According to reports the lorry has been impounded for examination. Although the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development could not confirm the report, a spokesman said inquiries are continuing in the area.
It is understood the truck was disinfected before it travelled to Cavan.
In response to the ongoing crisis, a Garda spokesman told ireland.comup to 1,000 gardaí may eventually be drafted in from around the State.
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The operation was mounted yesterday in response to a request from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development for help to enforce Ireland's ban on the importation of live animals and animal products from the UK, including Northern Ireland.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Mr Joe Walsh said the border was being manned at every point.
"We are being very careful and working on an hourly basis with the authorities in the north. No livestock or associated products can now enter the Republic. We cannot be careful enough in relation to this matter," the Minister said.
Mr Walsh said if it was established that the truck from the North visited the farm the implications were "very serious".
"We are not yet treating this as a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth but we are being extremely vigilant as the consequences for the country would be horrendous. We are taking no chances whatsoever."
Since last night the Garda have mounted checkpoints at 209 crossings on the border to prevent any movement of livestock and animal products between the North and the Republic.
Northern Ireland authorities said farms received sheep from the lorry had been sealed off for investigation and three pig plants were also being examined.
The Garda have confirmed they are involved in the Cavan inquiry with the Department of Agriculture. They said officers are trying to establish all the movements around a farm in Virginia, which has been cordoned off, to conclusively ascertain if the lorry was in the area.
According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland there is no risk to human health from the disease. ( Foot-and-mouth disease explained.)
Fine Gael has called on the Taoiseach Mr Ahern to take time during his talks with Northern Ministers today to seek an agreement on an island approach to keep the animal disease out of Ireland.
Cavan Monaghan TD, Mr Seymour Crawford, said today the only realistic way to protect Irish agriculture is to seal all Irish ports.
Additional reporting PA