The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that it is currently investigating a suspected case of BSE in a five-year-old cow on a dairy farm in Louth.
The disease is more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.
If confirmed, this could impact on Ireland's recently awarded "negligible risk status" from the World Organisation for Animal Health. It could mean Ireland would have to go back to the "controlled risk status", which applied only up to last week.
A full investigation into all relevant factors in this case is underway.
More to follow...
