The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of BSE - sometimes known as 'mad cow disease' - this evening.

The case of what is being referred to as "atypical BSE" was identified in a cow at an undisclosed location, thought to be in County Galway.

The animal in question was 18 years old and had already died when its carcass was being tested at a Department facility.

The Department of Agriculture however says there's no health risk as a result, and that the animal had already been excluded from the food chain. Its carcass will be incinerated.

It also says that because the case was 'atypical' it will not have any impact on Ireland's risk status or control status.

While there have been between two and 11 cases of BSE diagnosed per year in Ireland in recent years, this is only the third time since 2002 that an 'atypical' case has been logged.

Atypical BSE differs from the 'classical' BSE, prevalent in the 1990s, in that it occurs spontaneously.

There is no risk to any other animals as BSE does not transfer horizontally from animal to animal.