Editorial Sheep vs. Tiger

The recent discovery of foot-and-mouth disease on a farm in County Louth, the first confirmed case in the Republic of Ireland in 60 years, threatens much more than the country’s livestock industry. Indeed, nothing less that the overall health of the Irish economy is at risk. The culprit, however, is not so much the disease itself, but, rather, the apparent public reaction to it.

The irony here is that the decisive government effort to contain the disease has in no small way fueled fears among the public and magnified and distorted the danger of FMD. Surely, the thinking goes, anything that required so swift a response must be dreadful indeed.

And to the livestock industry, it certainly can be. But now other industries are being infected, as it were, as misguided public perception seems poised to topple them like dominoes.

The Celtic Tiger that emerged in the ’90s did so with the sudden infusion of IT investment, much of it from the U.S. Cities in turn became magnets for smart, entrepreneurial young Irish people. Rural areas suffered a brain drain, but as long as agriculture and tourism remained the foundation of the economy, small towns stood a fighting chance.

Now the high-tech sector is beginning to feel the effects of the struggling U.S. ecomony, while at the same time FMD is taking its toll on agriculture and tourism. Once humming along, the Irish economy is now the victim of twin spanners that threaten to grind it to a halt.

The Irish Tourist Board is fighting back. It plans an aggressive campaign to inform Americans that, in its words, Ireland is "open for business." It rightly points out that FMD, unlike mad cow disease, to which it is often erroneously compared, poses no risk to humans — though humans can spread it, hence the relatively minor inconvenience of disinfectant mats at airports, ferry terminals and the border area in particular. The harder sell for the tourist board is that there will actually be something for visitors to do in Ireland this summer.

It is, of course, too soon to say with confidence that this will be the case. But it’s likely that if the disease is contained, as it seems to be at present, most attractions, festivals, etc. can go on as scheduled. It was a good sign last weekend, for example, that the GAA resumed with a comprehensive slate of football and hurling games. Golf courses have remained open throughout the scare. Many popular tourist destinations that were closed early in the outbreak have reopened.

For its part, the tourist board’s website, www.irelandvacations.com, offers a long list of attractions and events that remain open. Its claim that it is currently business as usual in Ireland seems in no way an exaggeration.

So far, FMD has progressed no farther than Armagh in the North and neighboring Louth in the South. And it has been found in only one farm in each county. Extensive culling of flocks is taking place to limit the spread. In Britain, where the disease is more prevalent but of somewhat less concern because of the economy’s industrial footing, the vaccinating of animals is being considered. Ireland may follow suit. In short, appropriate precautions, it seems, are being taken to stop FMD from spreading throughout Ireland and beyond.

Now it’s up to the tourist to decide. But human nature and animal diseases are fickle things. Health is not an issue. But if the disease does spread, or if enough people believe it will, will, say, that literary summer school go forward as scheduled? Will the Rose of Tralee attract the usual crowds?

The Irish Tourist Board is certainly in an unenviable position, having to deal with the vicissitudes of both man and beast. It needs to attract tourists this summer and it needs commitments soon. It knows a major dropoff in high-season tourism could have a disastrous effect on rural Ireland that, coupled with a high-tech slowdown, could lead to widespread economic turmoil. The stakes are high. Will Americans come to the rescue?