The threat of foot-and-mouth is a national emergency, according to the Minister for Agriculture. There have now been 17 confirmed incidents of foot-and-mouth in Britain including one on Anglesey just 60 miles from the Irish coast.
Saturday's rugby international between Ireland and Wales has been cancelled and the importation of horses and greyhounds from Britain has been banned as part of new disease prevention measures announced this afternoon.
Horse racing has been suspended in Ireland and Britain and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Mr Walsh has requested the IRFU postpone Saturday's match with Wales.
The Minister announced the measures in response to confirmation of the presence of foot and mouth disease in Anglesey today.
Mr Walsh said given the volume of traffic through Holyhead there was a real and growing threat to Ireland. He said the case in Anglesea was "particularly worrying".
The new measures on the importation of horses and greyhounds, which does not include Northern Ireland, takes effect from midnight tonight.
Mr Walsh said requests have been sent to the relevant authorities that all horseracing (including point-to-point events) and all greyhound events (including coursing) be cancelled until further notice.
In addition Mr Walsh said the Department is strongly advising the postponement of the Ireland versus Wales Six Nations rugby match scheduled for Saturday and is requesting the IRFU to advise Irish rugby supporters not to travel to Wales this weekend.
Irish horses and their connections are being asked not travel to the forthcoming Cheltenham, while the Irish Kennel Club is being asked to cancel any working farm dog classes in their forthcoming St Patrick`s Day dog show.
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Mr Joe Walsh
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The suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease on the island of Anglesey, just 60 miles from the Irish coastis one of four new cases indentified today, taking the total to 16.
The other outbreaks are in north-west, central and north-east England.
The outbreak in Anglesey is at an abattoir which has been under investigation for some time.
Mr Walsh earlier announced the Department is assigning additional resources to the Port of Dublin and D&úacute;n Laoghaire to ensure the import ban is fully effective and measures such as document checks and disinfection are rigorously implemented.
"Where points of particular concern arise, our approach is to act immediately to bring additional attention to bear, on a precautionary basis. We do not want to take any risks in dealing with the current situation", Mr Walsh said.
"As the situation unfolds further measures will be necessary and whatever is required to ensure that FMD does not spread to Ireland will be done.
"We are keeping all options under review and nothing is being ruled out at this stage."
The Department is also redeploying resources from other areas of activity to assist in the effort.
"The success of this effort is critically dependent on the continuing commitment and co-operation of all sections of the community," Mr Walsh said.
Last night Fine Gael's agriculture spokesman Mr Alan Dukes criticised what he described as insufficient controls at ports and airports and called for an emergency team to ensure no potentially infected material gets into the State.
All livestock marts in the Republic are off because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain.
Curbs on moving animals have been imposed on 100 farms in Northern Ireland, all of which will be investigated daily to monitor animals recently imported from Britain.
Sixteen cases of the virus have been confirmed in Britain and there are fears that it up to 100,000 cattle, sheep and pigs may have come into contact with the virus.
Authorities have confirmed 25,000 animals may have passed through three marts in Britain where the disease was found before a livestock movement ban was introduced.