IBEC, the employers' confederation, has called for an immediate meeting with the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, to draw-up a national "containment plan" in the event of a foot-and-mouth outbreak in the Republic. The plan would apply to all industry, not just the agriculture and food sectors.
Mr Ciaran Fitzgerald, director of IBEC's food and drink federation, said that other than specific directions on food-processing, industry was not privy to the Department's containment plan. "We need to get up to speed. Industry needs to have information to plan properly," he said.
Mr Fitzgerald said a cross-industry group, comprising senior executives in the meat, dairy, drinks, energy, transport, manufacturing and retail sectors, was set up on Monday. He said he hoped the group would be able to meet the Minister
within 48 hours. The IBEC director-general, Mr Turlough O'Sullivan, has criticised the attitude adopted in Britain. "It is clear that the situation has reached epidemic proportions in Britain yet the response seems inadequate. Without an appropriate response from the British authorities, the economy, North and South, is at greater risk," he said.
"If the strategy is to be successful, we need to know what to do immediately. It's an issue for industry as a whole. If there was a case, it's not just farms and food companies that would be affected but all the industry in that area and transport in and out."
The cross-industry group has called for a major campaign to eliminate the smuggling of livestock. It is preparing guidelines to help its members communicate the need for vigilance to employees.
It will work with the Confederation of British Industry in Northern Ireland to keep industry aware of the concerns on a 32-county basis. It wants a full economic impact assessment and daily meetings with the Government to monitor the situation.