Tough new controls were put in place today to restrict the movement of livestock at risk of carrying a disease.
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan confirmed that, with immediate effect, only cattle, sheep and goats that are less than 90 days old or that have proven natural or vaccinated immunity to bluetongue may be imported to this country from bluetongue-restricted areas.
Such imports that are permitted must meet pre-export test requirements and additional rules apply in the case of female animals.
The new controls, which have been agreed at EU-level following the adoption of unilateral measures in Ireland and pressure from the Minister to adjust EU trade rules, allow member states discretion to place further restrictions on the movement of animals from bluetongue-restricted areas until the end of the year.
Ms Coughlan said that she had decided to apply these new tighter control measures immediately because of her determination to maintain Ireland's disease-free status.
The Minister said that she and her Northern Ireland counterpart, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA, had discussed the issue at their North-South Ministerial Council meeting last week and both had reaffirmed their respective
determinations to ensure that the island of Ireland remained bluetongue-free.
Ms Coughlan said that the measures being introduced today would help in that regard but she repeated her advice to farmers not to import livestock from any location in present circumstances.
"My priority continues to be to keep bluetongue out of this country and I will not hesitate to introduce additional safeguard measures, as I did in February, if I consider that such action is warranted," she added.
PA