A SENATOR who helped to combat the spread of the Newcastle fowl disease in the North advocated a practical step to help the Republic safeguard itself against the current outbreak.
Mr Sam McAughtry (Ind) worked with the Northern Ministry of Agriculture during previous outbreaks.
He told the House he knew there was the closest cross Border co operation between the relevant authorities at veterinary level. However, the disease had now extended to Armagh, which was making the situation ominous for the South.
It would be beneficial, he felt, for the Department of Agriculture to have an "unofficial observer" presence at Dundonald House, from where efforts to combat the disease in the North were being co ordinated.
Mr McAughtry said establishing restriction zones took a great deal of administration.
It might be useful if the Republic's officials took a close look at how such measures had been implemented in the North, as the system had been praised by veterinary journalists during the first serious outbreak of the disease in the mid 1970s.