Return to homepage
An imported heifer from France has been detected with Bluetongue in Northern Ireland.
Although not deemed an “outbreak” until the disease is found to be circulating, farmers have been warned to remain vigilant.
The UK remains officially Bluetongue-free.
Restricted herd movements
Earlier this year, French cattle farmers were ordered to restrict their herd movements and vaccinate animals against the disease.
Bluetongue does not cause harm to humans, but can reduce milk yield and fertility in animals.
In October, imported cattle and sheep in Britain were found to have the disease.
“The Department is also tracing and testing associated herds and an epidemiological investigation has been initiated to assess the situation," according to a DAERA statement.
"This investigation will help determine if disease is circulating. However, as we are now outside the active midge period, this is highly unlikely.”
The index found Ireland had 16 strengths when it came to food security.
Ireland has been overtaken by Singapore as the most food secure country in the world. Last year, Ireland finished at the top of the Global Food Security Index for the first time.
The index, which is published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, ranks countries based on food affordability, availability, and quality as well as an adjustment for natural resources and resilience. This new adjustment assesses a countries exposure to the impacts of a changing climate.
The United States and the United Kingdom finished just behind Ireland in joint third position. It is the first year Singapore claimed the top spot. This was largely attributed to its status as a high-income economy where GDP per capita has risen nearly 30% since 2012 (when the index was first published).
Strengths
The index found Ireland had 16 strengths when it came to food security. The country scored 100% for presence of food safety net programmes, access to financing for farmers and nutritional standards.
Food safety, food loss, sufficiency of supply and food consumption as a share of household expenditure were all ranked highly with Ireland scoring above 94%.
Strengths were ranked as any metric above 75%. Coming in just above the 75% threshold were corruption, volatility of agricultural production and political stability risk. Volatility was the only metric where Ireland was ranked below the average of all other countries.
Venezuela
Overall, 70% of countries included in the index recorded higher scores in 2018 with lower-middle- and low-income countries experienced the most substantial gains.
Venezuela experienced the largest decline of any country. Analysts said: “As the economic crisis in Venezuela continues, the country’s food security situation has become critical… demonstrating the significant impact that political and economic insecurity has on a country’s food security.”
The ruling opens the door for a second referendum on whether the UK is to remain in or leave the EU.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that that Article 50, which signalled the UK’s intention to leave the EU at the end of March 2019, can be cancelled unilaterally.
The ruling states the revocation of the withdrawal agreement “must be decided following a democratic process in accordance with national constitutional requirements”. This opens the door for a second referendum on whether the UK is to remain in or leave the EU.
If such a vote were to take place and the decision to leave was revoked the ECJ said it confirmed; "EU membership of the member state concerned under terms that are unchanged as regards its status as a member state and brings the withdrawal procedure to an end."
Unanimous
The European Council and Commission had contended that Article 50 could only be halted following a unanimous decision of the Council. This was due to the fear that allowing a country to withdraw from Article 50 unilaterally could be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
The ECJ found that; “To subject that right to revoke to the unanimous approval of the European Council as the Commission and Council proposed, would transform a unilateral sovereign right into a conditional right and would be incompatible with the principle that a member state cannot be forced to leave the European Union against its will.”
Hypothetical
The UK government also tried to have the case declared inadmissible as the arguments presented are hypothetical given it is not their position to revoke Article 50.
Speaking to the BBC, UK Agricultural Minister Michael Gove said the UK had no intention from halting the withdrawal process and called on MPs to support Theresa May’s deal.
#ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU – Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C
— EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018
For most places it will continue to remain wet in the week ahead with only the northwest having slightly less than anticipated normal levels. \ Philip Doyle
Monday
Today will begin mostly cloudy though a little hazy sunshine may occur for a time in the east. According to Met Éireann, other than scattered patches of drizzle or light rain mainly near west coasts and on hills, most areas will be dry. It will stay overcast through the afternoon and evening. After a cool start, temperatures will recover ranging 8°C to 12°C.
Tonight will become quite windy with freshening southerly breezes. It will be predominantly dry but there will be a few patches of rain and drizzle about. Minimum temperatures of 5 to 9°C.
Tuesday
Tuesday will see a dry day in many central and eastern counties. Rain will extend across most of Munster and Connaught by the afternoon. Rain will then gradually spread eastwards during the evening with some heavy bursts possible. Highest temperatures of 10°C to 13°C in moderate to fresh south to southeast winds.
Wednesday
Rain and drizzle may linger across parts of east Leinster and Ulster on Wednesday but it will be largely dry elsewhere. However, another band of rain will reach the southwest coast by evening. This rain will extend nationwide on Wednesday night. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10°C.
Thursday and Friday
There remains uncertainty in the forecast detail for the end of the week but it looks set to stay unsettled.
Rain
The last part of November and beginning of December were wet and this is reflected in the rainfall figures. Totals for the past two weeks are above normal almost everywhere. They were over twice the average values across the southern half of the country.
For most places it will continue to remain wet in the week ahead with only the northwest having slightly less than anticipated normal levels. The southwest of Ireland will again be the wettest part of Ireland with rainfall amounts close to 100mm expected.
Temperatures
Apart from the northwest of the country where temperatures were fractionally less than normal, all parts were positive by around a degree or so. This trend for positive mean temperatures will continue for the next week.
Sunshine will continue to be close to normal for the time of year with weekly totals of around five to 12 hours.
Conditions
Drying conditions will be poor overall and opportunities for spraying will be very limited, if any. Given the high volumes of rain, land is very wet with many soils waterlogged.