The Taoiseach's comments yesterday about the deployment of Irish anti-foot-and-mouth personnel at British ports has taken Downing Street and the British Ministry of Agriculture by surprise.
Mr Ahern said yesterday: "We almost have the agreement of the British and tomorrow will decide that." He said it was now emerging that "the only way Ireland could protect itself fully from foot-and-mouth coming through the UK ports was to do the work ourselves and to pay for it".
Meanwhile, preliminary tests carried out on a sheep from the Irish Country Meats Plant in Navan have proved negative.
The Taoiseach told RTE Radio's This Week programme yesterday: "We are in discussions with them [the British authorities] about Irish con tractors using the same equipment we are using at Dublin Port, of putting our people into the British ports to do the job.
"We have failed, even though this has gone on since February 21st, to get them to do it."
A British Ministry of Agriculture spokesman initially said he was not aware of this being an issue which was under discussion between the British and Irish governments.
A Downing Street spokeswoman likewise told The Irish Times: "We're not aware of it . . . as something that's happening, going to happen or planned to happen."
Pressed about the Taoiseach's clear indication that he anticipated agreement on the issue as early as today, the spokeswoman insisted that these were questions which should be put to Mr Ahern.
A Ministry spokeswoman later said that the issues raised by Mr Ahern were a matter for Number 10 and any discussions between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach.
Ferry and freight companies operating across the Irish Sea were criticised by the Irish Farmers' Association last night for failing to put in place proper disinfection facilities at British ports. A spokesman said that the IFA was disappointed at the attitude of the British government regarding the disinfection facilities at British ports.
Today, at the request of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, harbour masters in Ireland will be making contact with their opposite numbers on the west coast of Britain to offer help in increasing disinfection facilities there. The ports being targeted are Swansea, Fishguard, Holyhead, Pembroke, Liverpool and Heysham. It is understood that they will be offered "technical advice, equipment and personnel" to increase the level of protection.
The question of vaccination is expected to dominate a meeting of EU agriculture ministers which began in the Swedish town of Oestersund yesterday.
The EU Food Safety Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, is ruling out mass vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in spite of mounting pressure from Germany and the Netherlands. Four of Germany's 16 federal states want to vaccinate all sheep, pigs, goats and cattle against the disease in spite of warnings that such a move could wreck EU agricultural exports.