A number of mink farmers have been told to cull the animals on their farm over fears of spreading a mutated strain of Covid-19.
The Department of Agriculture has informed the owners of three mink farms in Ireland to cull their animals as a result.
Public health experts across the globe have expressed concerns after it was discovered that a mutated strain of the virus was found in mink in Denmark.
“Cluster 5”, a mutated version of the virus, was detected in 12 people and it is feared it could undermine any vaccine.
RTE reports that, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said in a letter to the Minister for Agriculture the move would be advised as he said the presence of farmed minks presents, "an ongoing risk to public health" if the Covid variant found in Denmark was to become "the dominant strain of the virus".
Denmark initially had plans to cull millions of mink as a result of the discovery however that has since been scrapped.
Earlier it was confirmed by the Department that testing would get underway at mink farms here as a result of the discovery.
Denmark produces an estimated 17 million furs a year, second only to China in the number farmed. More than 100 million animals are killed each year for fur including fox, raccoon, chinchilla and rabbit.
The US, Italy, Spain and Sweden have also reported Covid cases in minks, the World Health Organisation confirmed, but with no cluster 5 crossover as yet.
A statement from the Department said: "The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been working closely with the public health authorities as well as with the operators of mink farms in Ireland to address any potential risks arising as a result of Covid-19.
"Mink farmers continue to operate in full compliance with all legislative and animal welfare requirements and have co-operated fully with these efforts. Testing of the mink herd in Ireland detected no positive results to Covid-19 to date.
"The Department of Health has indicated that the continued farming of mink represents an ongoing risk of additional mink-adapted SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging and, therefore, it has recommended that farmed mink in Ireland should be culled to minimise or eliminate this risk.
"The Department of Agriculture continues to engage with the mink farmers to consider the next steps."
