Postal service may be hit by foot and mouth

Postal deliveries may be curtailed in the fight against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

An An Postspokesperson told ireland.comthey were in talks with the Department of Agriculture about the issue.

"We will comply with any instruction they may issue," she said.

She added postal workers, more than any other sector, had a great potential to spread the virus - as it delivers to 1.2 million addresses daily.

In the UK special arrangements have been made for Royal Mail workers delivering in areas within restriction zones.

Some farmers are being handed post at farm gates; some are collecting it at local sorting offices and others are having their post sent to alternative addresses.