Dealers at centre of sheep movement probe

At least three livestock dealers in Northern Ireland are at the centre of investigations into the movement of sheep before foot-and-mouth occurred in the province, according to reports tonight.

At least three livestock dealers in Northern Ireland are at the centre of investigations into the movement of sheep before the outbreak of foot-and-mouth, according to reports tonight.

As Department of Agriculture officials in Belfast widened their probe to all registered sheep brought into the province from Scotland since the New Year, it emerged investigators have been looking at the activities of several dealers including one from the south of Co Derry.

It is understood about 15,000 animals were imported into the province between January 1 and February 21 before rigorous foot-and-mouth port controls were introduced.

Animals were bought from livestock markets in Longtown and Carlisle and brought legally into Northern Ireland from the Stranraer and Cairnryan ferry ports.

However, it is alleged that while some were destined for meat plants, not all the animals were processed but were transported instead to farms in Northern Ireland and south of the border.

The Department of Agriculture confirmed tonight it had extended its investigation into sheep imported into the province from the beginning of January.

A spokesman said: "There were around 15,000 animals brought into Northern Ireland from Great Britain through the ports of Larne and Belfast since January 1 to February 21.

"We had accounted for 3,000 of those in our investigations dating from February 1 to February 21 but are now having to extend that investigation as a further precaution.

"All these movements were legal. There is no evidence at this stage to suggest any difficulties."

Democratic Unionist leader, the Rev Ian Paisley tonight expressed "deep concern" at the widening of the probe to sheep imported in January.

The North Antrim MP, who chairs the Northern Ireland Assembly’s agriculture committee which met in emergency session today, was worried about the implications of some animals not being accounted for.

"There could still be sheep brought in that are being moved about the province. They could be leaving a trail of poison around the countryside as animals are moved to different farms," he said.

Earlier, Stormont agriculture minister Brid Rodgers told the committee investigators were examining a number of theories as to how the disease surfaced in Northern Ireland.

"There is a possibility of a link with illegal imports. There are other possibilities that we are looking at but we simply don’t know. We are following everything up," she said.

The minister revealed private vets were being drafted in to help the department’s efforts to stem the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Three outbreaks have occurred in the province - at Meigh, Co Armagh, Ardboe, Co Tyrone and Cushendall, Co Antrim.

Test results are awaited on two further suspect cases - one in Ardboe and another in Co Armagh.

Mrs Rodgers also confirmed she would be writing to farmers to urge them to provide information about market purchases.

She warned: "We must be prepared for further disease outbreaks in Northern Ireland and the number will dictate the scale of the resource problems we face in dealing with them."