Live UK imports to be slaughtered

Junior Agriculture Minister Noel Davern has confirmed that sheep imported from the UK since the beginning of the month will be slaughtered.

He was speaking during the Dail order of business this afternoon. The move follows Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh's ban on horse racing until further notice.

Deputy Walsh said developments had now entered a new and worrying phase, with the continuing increase and geographical spread of confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease in Britain.

He also said events in the UK pose a growing and real threat to Ireland given the volume of traffic through Holyhead, and the case in Anglesea is a particular worry.