The discovery that 4,000 sheep in the Brecon Beacons area of Wales had been found to have been exposed to foot-and-mouth disease served to highlight the need for the highest vigilance here, the Department of Agriculture said last night.
The Welsh sheep were tested for antibodies in five areas of the mountain and the Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Mr Carwyn Jones, said significant numbers tested positive.
This, he said, meant the sheep would be slaughtered to prevent further spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, tissue samples from the suspect calf in Co Cork tested negative, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday. Blood sample results will be available on Friday.
The Department spokesman welcomed the news from the Pirbright laboratories. The Welsh sheep had been brought in for tests last Sunday, on a sample of 4,000 out of 10,000 sheep.
The announcement came yesterday following a warning from the Department that a threat still overhangs Ireland with British cases of the disease still running at 27 per week.
The Department yesterday eased its restrictions on the movement of breeding ewes and rams between farms and will allow sales from August 7th. Other restrictions will remain in place until November 1st.
Mr Seamus Healy, the Department's assistant secretary, told a joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the danger would deepen as British sheep were brought down from the mountains.
A number of committee members had complained to Mr Healy about the removal of disinfecting facilities on the Border and wanted to know how the disease could be kept out of the State if controls were not implemented.
Deputy Gerry Reynolds said he noted the disinfecting facilities between Cavan and Fermanagh were gone and wondered if it was possible to ensure the disease could not be brought through Northern ports into the State.
Deputy Seymour Crawford said he had seen vehicles from some of the most infected parts of Britain parked where sheep were grazing in Co Donegal.
Mr Healy said it had been three months since an outbreak of the disease in the North and the area was officially clear.
He said Northern authorities were continuing their ban on the import of animals and food products from Britain and were paying for disinfecting controls at ports serving the North.