Gardai seal off another farm and meat plant

A farm in Co Louth and a meat plant in Co Kildare have been sealed off this morning as a precaution against foot and mouth disease.

Officials moved into the farm, around 20 miles south of the border with Northern Ireland in the early hours.

Reports indicated the farm may have received sheep from north of the border that could have come into contact with the disease.

The operation was centred close to the main Dublin to Belfast road and about 30 miles from the farm at Meigh, Co Armagh, where the outbreak was formally confirmed yesterday.

One possibility being investigated was that the sheep delivered to Co Louth last week may have come through Co Armagh.

Also the Kildare chilling plant has also been closed off this morning.

It is understood a number of sheep arrived in the plant from the north via a Co Meath farm.