Here is the latest Press Release from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the recommendations from the Expert Advisory Group. IMRA's Committee will review these guidelines shortly and will post an update on fixtures on the website. Almost all mountain areas have susceptible animals living on them. Susceptible animals are cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer. The Committee will evaluate the risks involved in a prudent manner and decide whether events may go ahead or not. In the event that a race is in a contact risk area, the Committee may decide to switch the race to another safer location. It is extremely unlikely that visitors from Foot and Mouth disease affected areas such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, etc. will be allowed to participate in any race until the alert is lifted.

MINISTER WALSH ACCEPTS RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERT GROUP ON FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE CONTROLS

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Mr. Joe Walsh TD, today published the recommendations of the Expert Group which he had established to examine the Foot and Mouth Disease Controls. This Group had been established on 9 March to review the range of current controls and to advise on possible adaptations to these and advice being given to the general public in the light of developments.

Mr. Walsh expressed his grateful appreciation for the extraordinary and sustained efforts by all sectors of society since the first case of foot and mouth disease was confirmed in the UK on 20 February. The commitment displayed represented enormous goodwill, not only on the part of those directly or indirectly involved but also by people who had no involvement whatsoever with the agri-business sector.

The overwhelming support and co-operation with the measures has helped sustain the efforts of those more directly involved in seeking to prevent the spread of the disease to this jurisdiction. Thankfully those efforts have been successful to date and ensuring that the country remains free has to be the absolute priority.

At the same time, the Minister said that he remained extremely concerned with the ongoing situation in the UK and the potential problems in France and elsewhere. He accordingly reiterated the view of the Group that it remained absolutely essential that there must be strict compliance with and enforcement of the various control measures in place. Such compliance was particularly vital in respect of movement of animals and people, vehicles and equipment associated with animals. The controls that have been introduced in this regard were central to the prevention of the disease and must remain firmly in place and be complied with fully by all concerned.
Farmers and those in contact with farms or animals have a particular responsibility in this regard.

Nevertheless, Minister Walsh accepted that some events and activities represented a lower or indeed a negligible risk of spreading the disease and he accepted the Group's guidelines and broad categorisation of risks.
Accordingly, and in view of the current situation, he could agree that:

Category 1 type events could now recommence in line with the guidelines referred to by the Group.
Events falling into Category 2 could recommence on a phased basis from 23 March.

A further announcement would be made in due course in relation to Category 3 events but he emphasised that this would depend very much in regard to developments on the general FMD situation. The Expert Group will keep matters under review on a weekly basis.

The Minister also welcomed the advice of the Group in respect of recreational activities and travel to and from the UK and other countries where FMD has been confirmed. He urged all concerned to follow this advice and he hoped that the same spirit of compliance and public support would be maintained in regard to respecting these guidelines. He repeated that given the virulence of the disease and the enormity of the threat, a process of total and absolute vigilance will have to be maintained for the foreseeable future.

In conclusion, Minister Walsh thanked Professor Monaghan and the other members of the Expert Group for the valuable work undertaken to date. He looked forward to receiving further advice as the situation evolves.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERT GROUP IN RELATION TO FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE CONTROLS.

1. INTRODUCTION

An expert group was established by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development on March 9th to consider the range of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) controls now in place and to advise on the appropriateness of adapting them to developments as they occur. The group held its first meeting on March 12th, 2001.

The group acknowledged the extraordinary efforts made by the general public, business, sporting and voluntary organisations to play their part in preventing the potential spread of the disease. It also accepted that it was timely to review the epidemiological information available and assess the risks posed by a range of sporting and other events.

FMD continues to spread in an alarming way in the United Kingdom and the disease has now been confirmed in France.

Animal movements and the movement of people and vehicles/equipment associated with animals pose the highest risk of introduction and spread of FMD. Susceptible animals can produce hundreds of millions of virus particles per day while affected with FMD, even while incubating the disease and appearing healthy. Infected animals excrete virus in exhaled air, in saliva, in milk, in semen, in faeces, in urine and in ruptured vesicle fluid. In this way the clothes, skin, hands, hair, and footwear of people working with, or in close proximity to, susceptible animals can become heavily contaminated with virus particles. This heavy contamination on clothes, footwear etc. can lead to direct infection of other susceptible animals by the contaminated person or indirect contamination of other people who then have contact with and infect susceptible animals. In addition people coming into contact with infected animals may harbour, and exhale the virus for a number of days.

The necessity for strict compliance with the national and EU control measures already in place cannot be over-emphasised and ports, airports and border crossings must continue to be effectively policed.

Animal movement controls must remain in force and strict bio-security measures must continue to be employed by all persons engaged in the livestock industry.

2. GUIDELINES FOR HIGHEST RISK GROUPS.

Farmers, vets, hauliers, and all those in the agribusiness sector, along with people from restricted areas, represent the highest risk groups and must continue to accept the greatest responsibility for the prevention of the spread of FMD.

All farms and agribusiness premises must have properly maintained disinfection facilities (using DAFRD approved protocols).

Under no circumstances should work clothes and boots be worn off the premises and foot wear and vehicles must be cleaned and disinfected when leaving the premises.

After working with susceptible animals* individuals must wash their hands with hot water and soap (with particular attention to fingernails) and are encouraged to shower where possible.

Meetings/events involving persons from the highest risk groups should not take place unless it is critical that they do so, and then only if the organisers can ensure full compliance with these guidelines.

3. ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR THE CONTROL OF FMD

Based on a scientific review of FMD the following recommendations have been made by the group. These recommendations refer only to events taking place outside a controlled area. If there is evidence that the disease has spread to the Republic of Ireland, these recommendations will change.

Events have been classified into categories with low risk of spread of FMD (Category 1) and those which present greater risk (Categories 2 and 3). The existing legal controls on events in controlled areas should continue to apply.

CATEGORY 1
This category includes gatherings of people in defined locations with no access to agricultural land or susceptible livestock. Associated parking areas should also not be accessible to susceptible livestock.

Provided routine disinfection procedures are adhered to, these events carry a minimal risk of virus spread and should be allowed to proceed.

Organisers should provide appropriate disease control notices and disinfection facilities.

In addition, those in highest risk groups attending such events must follow the guidelines outlined in paragraph 2 (GUIDELINES FOR HIGHEST RISK GROUPS).

Organisers of events likely to attract persons in high risk categories should ensure compliance by those attending with the guidelines outlined in paragraph 2 (GUIDELINES FOR HIGHEST RISK GROUPS).

Typical examples of Category 1 events would include indoor meetings, conferences, cinema/theatre, weddings, indoor sporting events, etc.

CATEGORY 2
Outdoor events which take place on land and involve people only.

(i) If susceptible animals have accessed this land since February 1st, such venues should not be used until further notice.

(ii) If no susceptible animals have accessed the land since February 1st, activities may proceed provided the organisers can ensure full compliance with these guidelines below.

Organisers should provide appropriate disease control notices and disinfection facilities.

In addition, those in highest risk groups attending such events must follow the guidelines outlined in paragraph 2 (GUIDELINES FOR HIGHEST RISK GROUPS).

Organisers of events likely to attract persons in high risk categories should ensure compliance by those attending with the guidelines outlined in paragraph 2 (GUIDELINES FOR HIGHEST RISK GROUPS).

This category (in particular (i) above) will be reviewed at the end of March in light of the FMD situation at that time. Events in this Category should not take place within a restricted zone.

Typical examples of Category 2 events would include outdoor sporting events such as Gaelic Football, Hurling, Rugby, Soccer, Golf etc.

CATEGORY 3
Events which involve animals. The recommended restrictions on events involving animals should continue to apply.

Typical examples of category 3 events would include horse racing, show-jumping, greyhound racing and livestock shows.

The only exceptions to this rule are events exclusively involving domestic pets that do not have access to farmland or susceptible species. These events can proceed as per Category 1.

4. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY INDIVIDUALS

There should be no access to agricultural land to which susceptible animals may have had access, until further notice.

Public areas/parks which do not have access for susceptible species may be opened to the public. However, existing legal controls on such activities in controlled areas should continue to apply.

5. TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE UK AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE FMD INFECTION HAS BEEN CONFIRMED.

Unnecessary travel to the UK and other FMD infected areas should not take place.

Persons who require to travel to the UK or other FMD infected areas should not visit farms or have contact with livestock and should comply with all DAFRD recommendations on their return.

Visitors from the UK and other FMD infected areas should be discouraged from travelling to Ireland, especially those that may have had any contact with susceptible species.

Organisers of events should ensure that they do not seek to attract residents from the UK or other FMD infected areas to the event.