'Mad Cow Disease' confirmed in Galway.

The Irish Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of so called 'Mad Cow Disease' in Galway.

It was identified in an 18 year old animal after a number of deaths at the farm. 

A department-approved, private lab tested positive for 'Atypical Bovine spongiform encephalopathy' over the weekend.

Further tests have confirmed the case. 

In a statement, the The Department of Agriculture say: "There are no associated public health risks with this event - a comprehensive set of public health controls are in place.

"The animal in this case was excluded from the food chain and its carcase will be incinerated."

"The disclosure of this case of Atypical BSE does not have any impact of Ireland's current OIE BSE 'controlled risk' status or trade status," it adds.

There are two types of BSE: Classical BSE which was the basis of the extensive incidence of BSE which began in the 1980s.

Atypical BSE has been identified more recently and is thought to occur spontaneously.

There have been 101 atypical BSE cases identified in the EU between 2003 and 2015 compared with almost 3,000 cases of Classical BSE in the same time.