Foot-and mouth could cost Ulster tourism £135m

Tourism in Northern Ireland could suffer a £135m loss because of foot-and-mouth situation.

It was revealed that bookings for some of Ulster's top destinations have plunged by 75%.

Northern Ireland Hotel Federation spokesman Alastair Good said the tourism sector employs over 35,000 people and he feared many jobs could be at risk.

He said: "The value of tourism to Northern Ireland is around £350m per annum, a prolonged outbreak (of foot-and-mouth) may cost around £135m."

He acknowledged it was vital that measures were in place to protect the agri-food sector, but he warned that jobs could be jeopardised as a result.

"The tourism sector employs over 35,000 and if there is a prolonged outbreak many of these may be placed at risk," he said.

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers confirmed a new "hot" suspect case was under investigation. A single sheep displaying symptoms of the disease was discovered at a slaughter house in Dungannon, County Tyrone.

The development was a setback for officials who were hoping the disease's spread had been contained since the single outbreak at a farm in the South Armagh area earlier this month.

Mrs Rodgers said the sheep involved in the fresh scare originated on a farm near Augher, Co Tyrone and samples have been sent to a laboratory at Pirbright in Surrey for analysis.

Both the abattoir and the farm have been placed under restriction and an 8km surveillance zone placed around both until initial indications of whether the samples are positive become known - sometime within the next 24-36 hours.