Foot and Mouth prevention measures vital to economy

PREVENTION of spread to Europe must be the priority, now that Foot and Mouth disease has occurred in a part of Brazil where the disease had been eradicated.

The import of meat from Brazil is no longer acceptable, until the danger of infection has passed. Any risk of FMD in this country from imported meat is unacceptable.

The consequences of the disease recurring here are too frightening to contemplate, and measures to ensure complete prevention are minuscule in comparison with the dread of an outbreak.

It is only four years ago that every section of the country stood side-by-side in solidarity, at enormous personal inconvenience and economic loss to many individuals and businesses, in order to contain the disease, after one outbreak in the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth.

Every practical measure must be taken, in Ireland and in the EU, to prevent infection stemming from Brazil, where the disease will, we hope, be controlled and wiped out very quickly.

The farming leaders who criticise the limited restrictions imposed by the EU of Brazilian meat imports, and demand a complete ban until the risk is over, are acting prudently in the interest of the industry which they serve, Irish agriculture.

There are economic reasons why some sectors of the hospitality industry import meat from Brazil.

But those economic benefits rank nowhere near protection of the Irish economy, which would be damaged by a serious outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.

All Brazilian meat imports must cease until the threat is over. There is no place for second measures.