Monday, February 19th
The first cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain in 20 years were discovered at an abattoir in Essex.
Wednesday, February 21st
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, imposed a unilateral ban on importing animals and animal products from the UK, including Northern Ireland, into the Republic.
The Garda and members of the Army were sent to police Border crossings.
The North's Minister of Agriculture, Ms Brid Rodgers, announced measures to combat foot-and-mouth disease, following confirmation that a consignment of pigs from the North had recently arrived at an Essex abattoir that had detected the disease.
Mr Walsh asked Irish people to avoid visiting farms, especially in the infected areas, and said no meat or meat products, milk or milk products should be brought back into the State.
Passengers returning from Britain were being given leaflets requesting them to report to Department of Agriculture inspectors if they had visited farms or were carrying any food.
Department inspectors were ordered to confiscate any items which contained meat or milk under a ban on the importation of such products.
Thursday, February 22nd
Advice notices were issued to the industry on the implications of the ban.
Friday, February 23rd
An 8 km restriction zone was placed around a farm in Northern Ireland after a cow died showing symptoms similar to foot-and-mouth disease. All livestock markets near the Border were stopped until further notice and hunting was halted.
Saturday, February 24th
Agricultural products entering the Republic were required to use supervised crossings from Northern Ireland.
Newspaper advertisements were published giving advice to the public on the disease.
Monday, February 26th
The Minister for Agriculture called on farmers to introduce more stringent measures to stop the spread of the disease.
A number of British MPs attending a meeting of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body in Killarney, Co Kerry, noted that they had come through Cork Airport with no obvious measures in place.
Mr Walsh said controls at Irish ports were as good as possible.
All marts in the Republic were suspended. A ban was placed on the import of used farm machinery from Britain. Farmers were told to restrict their animals' and their own movements.
Tuesday, February 27th
The importation of horses from Britain was banned. The IRFU cancelled the Wales-Ireland rugby match scheduled for tomorrow. The Irish Kennel Club cancelled working farmdog classes in the St Patrick's Day dog show.
The Office of Public Works suspended all work on arterial drainage and closed Dublin Zoo.
Requests were made that all horse-racing and greyhound events be cancelled until further notice.
Advice was given that Irish horses and supporters not travel to the Cheltenham Festival.
The Government was criticised for a lack of controls to protect the State. In a Dail debate on the crisis, the Fine Gael spokesman on agriculture, Mr Alan Dukes, said that so far the response had been "appallingly negligent, appallingly casual and utterly out of keeping with what is required in the circumstances".
Wednesday, February 28th
The Government convened a top-level group to co-ordinate management of the crisis that will meet every morning.
A ban was introduced on movement of all susceptible animals within the State other than those going directly for slaughter.
A request was made that various sporting, cultural and other activities be postponed.
At Dublin Port just one ferry official and a couple of brown mats were in evidence for foot passengers who had arrived from Holyhead. Passengers said they were largely unaware that their movements could spread the disease.