Emergency legislation to deal with rogue livestock dealers and traders is to be put through the Dail this week.
The legislation, which is to be presented to a Cabinet meeting this morning, has been prepared by the Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, at the request of the Government to deal with the threat from foot-and-mouth disease.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Mr Walsh, said yesterday that the State was "on full alert and would remain so". He indicated that the legislation would deal mainly with the registration of sheep traders and dealers, but it would also include cattle and other stock and the individual tagging of sheep.
As the disease continued to spread in Britain, rising to 74 confirmed outbreaks by last night, 520 farms were under restriction in the Republic.
Mr Walsh conceded that the Irish public was reaching a point where it was becoming weary of the restrictions. "It's turning a bit to where people are saying things are too draconian and maybe you should ease off a bit", he said. "But we have not reached that stage yet and we are going to have to remain on a state of high alert."
However, there was good news yesterday from the Department's chief veterinary officer, Mr Colm Gaynor, who said the investigations were in the low-risk category and involved tracing animals imported from Britain and Northern Ireland.
Mr Gaynor said the risk levels at the Athleague factory in Co Roscommon and at the Kildare Chilling Plant were not as great as had been feared, but restrictions would have to continue.
The Minister and the secretary-general of the Department of Agriculture, Mr John Malone, rejected suggestions made in the Northern Ireland Assembly that the Republic was hiding the disease.
Mr Walsh said that such a suggestion was "nonsense". He invited the Rev William McCrea to check with the laboratory in Britain which had conducted the tests on samples taken from Irish sheep.
Mr Malone said there was cooperation and trust between the authorities North and South.
The Government also announced a ban on the importation of live cattle from France because of the discovery of antibodies in sheep imported into that country from Britain.