The hope that the foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease outbreak in Germany back in January would be a single, isolated and exceptional case was dashed last week.

A positive case on a dairy farm on the Hungary-Slovakia border, right in the heart of Europe, is a serious concern. One detected case of a disease can be regarded as perhaps a freak incident, but two is dangerously close to a pattern.

Of course, the Hungarian authorities have instituted a local lockdown in the zone around the latest case.

Indeed, the Slovakian authorities have done the same on their side of the border. And movement restrictions of animals have been imposed all across Hungary. We can only hope that these biosecurity measures succeed in containing this outbreak to the single case, because once FMD gets a head of steam up, well, it’s an uphill battle.

For Ireland’s part, there is comfort in knowing that not a single animal has been imported from Hungary, from Slovakia, or from Austria, the other country neighbouring the region where the positive case occurred.

However, the Government and the Department are surely braced for the worst, while hoping for the best. We can only hope this bitter cup passes from us.

Meanwhile, as we go to print, Taoiseach Micheál Martin must sup from a cup in the Oval Office.

The pleasant annual ritual of presenting a bowl of shamrock to the sitting US president is one of the perks of being Taoiseach, but that pleasure is tempered by the awareness that the current occupant of the White House is on a mission to put everyone in their place. Particularly countries who he feels have a trading surplus with the US.

That puts Ireland firmly in Trump’s firing line. Even if Trump is being benevolent, we saw US vice-president JD Vance assume the role of “bad cop” when Keir Starmer – and particularly Volodymyr Zelenskyy – visited Washington.

Martin is an experienced politician, and will be using all of his diplomatic skills to navigate strong differences in attitude to Ukraine, Gaza, the EU, trade and taxation while he is stateside. He is also emphasising that trade is a two-way street between the US and Ireland.

His visit is an important moment for Ireland, we don’t need to fall into Trump’s bad books. I believe Enda Kenny skilfully introduced the Trump-owned Doonbeg Golf Club into the conversation when he was president, praising the course. No doubt the Clare landholding will feature again this time.

We need to avoid foot in mouth more than foot-and-mouth this week.