This section deals with information on topics like the foot-and-mouth disease, the local currency, telecom services, info on banks & postal services.

Foot & Mouth Disease

The foot-and-mouth disease is a highly infectious virus that effects many farm animals like cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and other animals with cloven hooves. Horses are not effected but they may carry the disease. Its symptoms include fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth , on the teats and between the hooves. It does not lead to death of livestock but infected animals stop gaining weight and milk production in dairy cattle falls. It occurs rarely in the case of humans and the effects are mild. Also, there is no risk of people catching the disease through consuming meat and dairy products.

The main concern about it spreading is that it will cause damage to the Irish agricultural industry and the economy. An outbreak can spread through infected animals, people wearing contaminated clothes or footwear, contaminated materials such as hay,feed & water or the virus can also be carried by wind. The last outbreak in Ireland was in 1941 and recently there was a threat of an outbreak but it was dealt with really well. It is advisable for tourists not to carry any milk or meat products into the country.