Britain's Agriculture Minister has rejected criticism from Mr Joe Walsh about the British government's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis.
Speaking on BBC's Breakfast with Frost, Mr Nick Brown said: "I can understand him being upset and angry, the livestock sector is very important to Ireland.
"I spoke to Joe Walsh about what we are doing and about their situation on Friday.
"The problem we have is that the disease had spread before it emerged, before we caught it.
"As soon as we realised what we had to deal with we put these movement restrictions in place and at the time I was criticised for overreacting and for being too tough.
"In fact what we've done is absolutely right. The cases that are emerging, particularly in sheep, are much more than anyone would have wanted or hoped for - but we've got them contained."
He said it was "not fair at all" to say that the British government had mishandled the crisis.
Mr Brown said he was "absolutely certain" the foot-and-mouth outbreak was under control.
He said all 139 cases so far, apart from the very latest one on which work was still being done, traced back to the original outbreak.
"I am absolutely certain we have it under control - I know the sights of dead animals being burned is horrific and worries people but it is the correct policy to pursue," he said.
"In other words this is disease that had spread and is contained, we haven't had outbreaks since the movement restrictions were put in place from new episodes," he said.
New cases were confirmed yesterday at four farms in Cumbria, three in Scotland, two in Devon, two in County Durham and one in Anglesey.
The Scottish Executive said a 140th outbreak had been confirmed near Gretna in Dumfries and Galloway, but this was not yet confirmed.
PA