Govt accused of failing to tackle seal virus

The Irish Seal Sanctuary has said the Government is not doing enough to arrest the spread of a deadly virus among Ireland's seal population.

The phocine distemper virus, which has already killed thousands of seals throughout northern Europe, was discovered off the west coast of Ireland recently amid fears that it could almost wipe out the Irish seal population.

Terry Flanagan, a spokesman for the Irish Seal Sanctuary, said the Government is failing to realise the seriousness of the issue.

"In England, already £250,000 (€397,000) has been made available just to monitor the disease and a whole facility in Norfolk has been turned over completely to looking after sick seals," he said.

"The Irish Seal Sanctuary is a voluntary organisation, everybody is a volunteer and we're working flat out at the moment."