Foot-and-mouth inquiry welcomed

Four cases of foot-and-mouth were confirmed in NI

An independent inquiry into the foot-and-mouth crisis in Northern Ireland has been welcomed by the farming community.

The inquiry, one of three announced by the government on Thursday, will look at the lessons to be learned from the crisis, which devastated the agriculture industry in the province earlier this year.

Ulster Farmers Union spokesman Douglas Rowe, said it was an important step forward, but that it should not become a "witch hunt".

Four cases of the disease were found in counties Antrim, Armagh and Tyrone in March and April.

The disease was first discovered at a farm in Meigh, South Armagh on 1 March.

'What went wrong'

The other three cases were found on cattle and dairy farms at Ardboe in Tyrone and at Cushendall in the Glens of Antrim.

Mr Rowe said: "We have asked for an inquiry into the whole foot-and-mouth outbreak in the UK but we are pleased that there is an independent inquiry in Northern Ireland," he said.

"We want an inquiry that teaches us what went wrong and what we can learn from in the future.

The three inquiries are made up of an examination of the government's handling of the outbreak, a scientific review and a commission on the future of farming and food.

Douglas Rowe:"Teach us what went wrong"

The policy commission will look at the future of farming and the balance between farming and rural communities.

The science review will be carried out by the Royal Society and will look at how future epidemics can be prevented from breaking out in the UK.

The third inquiry, chaired by Dr Iain Anderson, will look at the handling of the crisis by the government and whether any mistakes were made.

The minister for agriculture, Brid Rodgers is already investigating compensation claims by some farmers hit by the disease.

There have been 1,936 cases of foot-and-mouth across the UK, with 3,701,000 animals slaughtered.