Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) figures surged again this week, with 16 new cases confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
This was the second-highest weekly figure recorded since the disease was first identified here more than 12 years ago. In 1989 it appeared in cattle imported from Britain, where BSE had already been well established.
Already this year the number of cases has risen to 104. This statistic is fuelled by additional testing of sick and fallen animals not destined for the food chain, and the testing of all animals more than 30 months of age that are being processed for beef.
In the first three months of last year there were only 42 cases recorded.
Nine of this week's cases were uncovered by additional testing, which was ordered by the EU in 2000 to establish the extent of the disease in Europe's cattle.
This "active surveillance" has uncovered nearly 200 of the 948 cases that have been found here since 1989. An additional 24 cases have turned up in the examination of herds where BSE has been identified.
However, no animal born after 1996 has been found with the disease. This was when total segregation of cattle feed from pig and poultry ration containing meat and bonemeal, became fully operative.
This week's cases were found in Laois, Cork (two), Monaghan, Cavan (five), Louth, Westmeath, Meath, Kerry (two), Sligo and Kilkenny.