The Cooley peninsula in Co Louth today received its first delivery of sheep since 60,000 animals were slaughtered there during the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The animals were culled after the State’s sole outbreak of the virus was confirmed at a farm near Jenkinstown, Co Louth in March.
The return of the sheep ended more than four months of empty fields in the region, and the development was seen as one of the firmest signs so far of a return to normality for the agriculture industry.
A farm near Omeath began restocking after getting the go-ahead from the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
But Mr Oliver Dillon, head ofTeagasc in Co Louth, said it would be many months before the number of sheep returned to its pre-crisis level.
He stressed that a ban on buying animals from sources in Britain and Northern Ireland is set to remain in place for the foreseeable future.