Minister for Agriculture criticises foot-and-mouth report

Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, says he does not agree with parts of an independent report into the handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

However, Mr Walsh said the findings are valuable and will be taken into consideration.

The cross border report was published today and found that staff shortages at surveillance centres in the North were the cause of the outbreak.

The report also criticises the ease of obtaining direct-for-slaughter certificates, which made the importation of infected animals too easy.