Department of Agriculture officials have ordered a second meat plant in Co Wexford closed because of a foot-and-mouth alert.
The closure was at the headquarters of Slaney Meats in Bunclody, where three lambs were found to have mouth lesions.
The Garda sealed the plant, and work at the factory was suspended. Samples were taken for tests to be done.
A department spokesman said the measures were "purely precautionary" and there was no evidence the lambs had the disease.
Farmers in Wexford already face an anxious wait after a lamb suspected of having foot-and-mouth was found at the Irish Country Meats factory in Camolin.
A department spokesman told ireland.comit would most likely be tomorrow before the results of the Wexford case are known. The samples were sent to Perbright Laboratory in Britain this morning, he said.
The department is hoping the tests will be negative as the lamb was locally produced.
Department officials are due to test other animals at the farmer's property at Scarawalsh and the out-farm at Milehouse, Enniscorthy. It is likely those animals will be killed as a precaution.
In the Dáil the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, confirmed a new system of tagging all sheep would go ahead.