Ireland asks to be excluded from US animal import ban
The Government is seeking exclusion from a US ban on all imports of meat, animals and animal products from the EU.
A spokesman said the Government had made representations to the American authorities through the Irish embassy in Washington.
It is requesting to be left off the list of EU states affected by the imports suspension following the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The US move was announced after confirmation of a foot-and-mouth case in France, which added to the total of more than 200 in the UK.
Irish diplomats in Washington are stressing that no cases of the disease have been found in the Irish Republic, even though an outbreak was uncovered in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, more than a week ago.
A source said: "Our foot-and-mouth-free status will be underscored".
Ten days ago, after intensive lobbying in the US, the Government succeeded in getting an earlier American import ban dropped after it had been introduced because of the Northern Ireland foot-and-mouth case.
Meanwhile, Gardai are operating a total of 141 checkpoints at border crossings with Northern Ireland, all on a 24-hour basis.
In addition to these border crossings, a special protection zone is in operation surrounding a farm in South Armagh.
Because this zone extends into the Republic, 13 additional checkpoints are in operation in North Co Louth (extending from the N53 to Ballymascanlon Roundabout to the Cooley Mountains).
A total of 442 extra Gardai have been drafted into Border areas to augment locally-based Gardai with this operation.
"We are asking the public to cooperate fully with the measures introduced to help prevent the spread of this disease," said a garda spokesman.
"Motorists approaching border crossings should be aware of the presence of the checkpoints and reduce speed accordingly.
"Motorists should also expect delays at some of the checkpoints, particularly those on the busier main roads.
"They should also be aware that they will be stopped more than once if travelling into the Special Protection Zone in Co Louth," he added.
