Three hundred farmers in Co Louth are facing the devastating prospect of the slaughter of 40,000 sheep after the first cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the State were reported this morning.
The slaughter of sheep within a one kilometre radius of the farm in Cooley, Co Louth where the outbreak was confirmed will begin immediately and will then be extended to a three kilometre area.
An export ban on all Irish agricultural products has also been put in place.
The IFA president Mr Tom Parlon said today while confirmation of a foot-and-mouth outbreak was a major blow to the country, the damage must be confined to the exclusion where stringent restrictions are already in place.
Mr Parlon supported the implementation of an export ban and said a contingency plan was in place which he hoped to confine the disease to the exclusion zone. The effect on Irish agricultural exports valued at £5 billion will be felt immediately with the closure of marts across the country.
Mr Parlon confirmed the outbreak was from the same source as that confirmed in Armagh last week and could be traced back to a shipment of sheep from Carlisle in February.