Impact of foot and mouth crisis continues

The Workers Party has indefinitely postponed its annual Northern Ireland conference, which was scheduled for next Saturday in Belfast in light of the foot and mouth crisis.

The party’s Northern regional secretary Tommy Owens said a postponement was decided because many party members live in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Labour TD for Westmeath-Offaly Willie Penrose has called on pop band Westlife to cancel their forthcoming concerts at the Point Theatre in Dublin in four weeks time, until the foot and mouth scare is over.

Also all GAA national fixtures for next weekend are on hold while a decision on the Ireland-England Six Nations rugby international will be made tomorrow.

An Post says meanwhile, that it has instructed its staff not to make deliveries to farms and landowners who have not put down disinfection mats or who have not erected a farm gate post box.