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THE REPUBLIC OF Ireland now has its first confirmed case of Covid-19.
Before the first case was confirmed last night, the country had already seen international rugby games cancelled, other mass gatherings such as St Patrick’s Day parades plunged into doubt and fears raised over travel restrictions.
The Six Nations match against Italy being called off certainly invoked memories of 2001, when the country was in the midst of the Foot and Mouth Crisis.
While it was livestock and farmers’ livelihoods at stake 19 years ago, it is human lives that are at risk now due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
With hundreds of cases confirmed around Europe, the focus from authorities here is now on containing and mitigating the risk.
Back in 2001, that was no easy task.
Foot and Mouth
Foot and Mouth disease is one which affects livestock such as cows and sheep, and is incredibly infectious.
When the first case of the outbreak was confirmed in Essex in the UK on 19 February 2001, it set the Irish government on alert immediately, as mass infections here would have posed a serious risk to the agriculture industry.
Minister of State for Agriculture Noel Davern told the Dáil two days later: “I am acutely aware of the potential danger to Irish agriculture posed by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Great Britain.
An outbreak here would have enormous economic consequences. This country has been free of the disease since 1941.
Swift action followed with gardaí setting up checkpoints at every road leading into the North, as outbreaks spread throughout the UK with one case confirmed in Armagh.
A series of stringent measures were put in place across the country in spring of that year as the disease plunged the agricultural industry into crisis mode.
The efforts to prevent the disease reaching Ireland didn’t stop it being discovered at a farm in Louth in March.
A precautionary cull of livestock in the area was announced.
Drastic measures
The main man credited with providing the leadership and decision-making needed during the crisis was Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh.
Under his watch, a series of drastic measures were introduced to try to keep the disease from spreading.
The government banned horse and greyhound racing indefinitely.
It also called on race fans and trainers to stay away from the Cheltenham Festival – which was ultimately cancelled anyway.
To put that into perspective, the Department of Health’s chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan was asked this week if he’d advise people to avoid attending mass gatherings abroad, like Cheltenham. He said: “No.”
Back in 2001, Walsh’s control measures included the halting of the movement of animals with football games and other sporting events also cancelled in a bid to stop people travelling.
This included the 2001 Six Nations. Ireland had been on a bit of a roll before the games were called off, and the re-scheduled games in the autumn yielded a loss to the Scots (albeit a win against England also).
Dublin Zoo and Fota Island were also closed as a precautionary measure. Even politicians couldn’t escape the movement restrictions on animals and citizens. Fine Gael’s Ard Fheis was cancelled, and replaced with a smaller-scale ‘Dublin Conference’.
The restrictions remained in place for months — and we all became used to the sight of buckets of disinfectant outside schools, offices and other public buildings.
Fears of a continent-wide epidemic receded as the weeks stretched into months.
Following the expiry of the incubation period of 30 days from the only case of the disease in the Republic, the EU declared the country free of Foot & Mouth on 19 April.
Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day Parade – which had been cancelled – was rescheduled for May.
For his part in helping to limit the spread of the disease, Walsh was honoured with awards such as the Légion d’honneur in France.
When Walsh died in 2014, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he’d been “instrumental in mitigating a disaster that had the potential to wipe out a way of life”.
- With reporting from Daragh Brophy
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All money, no class.
@Sean: The “no money, no class” are the real problem. The Puerto Rico local economy needs positive development and competent, on the spot, first responders as hurricanes happen regularly
@Tom Newnewman: America has been fleecing them for decades. The Jones Act is just one piece of legislation that drives up costs in PR
No mention of how the truck drivers union are striking and won’t deliver the tons of aid sitting in air conditioned units at the port, no mention of Yulin Cruz not attending meetings with FEMA to help sort the situation out, no mention of the Governor of PR criticising Yulin Cruz for her lack of leadership and how the mayor Guayama praising the efforts of FEMA.
You see, Yulin Cruz is a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton and is using the disaster to make Trump look bad. There is enough food, fuel and medical supplies on the docks to keep the island going for six months, not to mention construction material also on the docks.
But Trump handing out a golf award is the headline. No wonder he calls it all Fake News.
@Daniel Dunne: really? Why is that not being reported? Where did you see it?
@Dave O Keeffe: I’ve seen it from independent journalists on social media but not one mainstream outlet will touch it. There are audio clips of anonymous police reporters calling US radio stations pleading for the aid to be distributed by the US military.
@Simon O’Connor: Police officers even
@Dave O Keeffe: FEMA criticises Yulin Cruz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJToyGJQqIg
@Daniel Dunne: wasn’t that guy in an office in Washington? It’s a big accusation coming from that distance.
He really hasn’t got a clue.
@Jane: It’s worse than that. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
I’m sure the people of PR are honoured. Oh no wait they’ve no electricity.
He is about as useful as Anne Frank’s drum kit.
Trump the Tosspot
I am beginning to read everything he says in his accent.
I really need to stop doing that.
@Dave Sherman: Try reading it in the voice of Kanye West.
@Ben McArthur: I read it in the voice of a 3 year old. It then starts to make sense.
Someone who thinks he uses the word great in every sentence it makes everything alright.
Does.my head in.
Big water. Ocean water.
Another non-story by the Journal for the Anti-Trump sheep to comment on.
@John Molloy: Ya think? In fact it is a very pertinent story because it illustrates so well what a complete idiot the man is.
@Deborah Blacoe: I think the Journal and the media in general are very Anti-Trump.Im not his biggest fan but it’s some witch hunt against him.
@John Molloy: reporting what he does is not an anti-trump, he loves the attention. If he was ignored he’d come up with even more ridiculous ways to get attention
@John Molloy: calling him out for blatant hypocrisy is not a witch hunt.
@John Molloy: was it a non story when Trump was lambasting Obama for playing golf? Trump certainly didn’t seem to think so.
@John Molloy: Yes, you are probably right. Having said that, this story IS important. I just cannot think of anything more moronic that he could do to illustrate the fact that he is just not clued in.
@John Molloy: Is anything they said untrue? Because if it’s not, it’s not a witch-hunt, it’s just news.
@Jane: well said!!
And I named my morning shit in his honour
@Tommy Chen: Good man Tommy.
@Tommy Chen: Why did you feel the need to insult it like that?
@Tommy Chen: Best comment ever. I name you as winner of the Internet today.
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus:
Its not an insult. You sound like a person who was never brought up using curse words.
@Din8rtd: Yeah, think that one went right over your head buddy.
@Tommy Chen: why, was it yellow?
@Tommy Chen: Calling a well formed morning bowel movement a trump. Is just insulting to all shits.
A trump is a thing that consume’ s the effluent of bottom feeders then regurgitates it as the truth.
“We have it under really great control” surprised he did not manage to squeeze “tremendous” in there somewhere. I’m sure the people of PR are delighted with the dedication, but would probable prefer electricity and running water maybe, just a thought I could be wrong!
@tony galvin: Yeah but while they have no electricity they can’t tell us how wrong he really is.
If you listen really careful you can hear an entire nation facepalm….
@epo eire: An entire nation? Except for the millions of brainless idiots that voted for him and think he’s doing a great job.
Troll-in-Chief
Puerto Ricans don’t vote. Simple.
@Dermot Lane: they can’t vote is more like it
He’s a insult to Americans.
He proves that democracy is deeply flawed and the trouble with it is he’s not the exception.
Nero fiddles while rome burns comes to mind…. what a clown.!!!!
@Patrick j Brady: At least Nero could fiddle……….
@Larry Doyle: Trump can fiddle too
@Francis Mc Carthy: his taxes
He dedicated a trophy he didn’t win haha it’s not for him to dedicate someone else’s trophy the absolute goon
Why do leftist love to speak in cliche’s? Genuine question.
@Jonathan Byrne: cliche is what?
He is about as useful as an ashtry on a motorbike and about as welcome as a fart in a wetsuit. An idiot of the highest order and a dangerous fool.
Fair play to Mr Trump.
Is it REALLY Trump’s fault that 50 are now dead in Vegas, and 200+ injured!!!
@Fank Pulman: who said that? Nobody. Just you.
@Fank Pulman: no. But if the person was recently allowed to buy a gun after previously being denied for mental health reasons then he may well need to shoulder a small portion of the blame as the person that overturned that law.
This pouring over every word and tweet Trump utters to reinforce a stereotype is getting boring Zzzzzz Zzzzzz Zzzzzzz
@Stephen Duffy: what stereotype?
Thought that was ‘Waterford whispers’ for a minute
He’s a c ** t
I’ve just read this – I thought it described the problems better for people who don’t play golf.
have your say