A report into Northern Ireland's foot-and-mouth outbreak has found that the farming industry benefited by more than �6m as a consequence of the disease.

The review by the consultants PriceWaterhouseCoopers, published on Friday, examined the costs associated with controlling the virus in the province.

Farmers received �7.5m compensation for animals culled.

The report estimates the farming industry made a net gain of more than �6m through a currency compensation package which more than offset the impact of the outbreak.

More than 50,000 animals were culled in NI

It found that the outbreak could have been avoided had there been better policing of sheep imports by the Department of Agriculture.

Four cases were confirmed in the province in March 2001 which were contained within two months and claimed more than 50,000 animals in south Armagh, Ardboe in County Tyrone and Cushendall in the Antrim Glens.

It also cost taxpayers and the tourism industry millions of pounds.

However, despite being criticised for not doing enough to prevent the arrival of the virus, the department's subsequent handling of the outbreak was described as "appropriate and measured".

The speed in introducing movement controls on animals and restricting countryside activities was recognised as being crucial in limiting the extent of the outbreak.

'Serious consequences'

Agriculture minister Brid Rodgers welcomed the report and said she would study it and make recommendations in due course.

She said the report gave pointers to how her department and other ministries could do a better job should a similar situation arise again.

"While I acknowledge that not all consignments of imported sheep were being checked, the rules were clear," he said.

"The simple fact is that some individuals were determined to break the law, unfortunately with very serious consequences."

The report highlights problems in the early days of the cull with a shortage of suitable weapons and ammunition. There was also a shortage of vets who had been trained to cull animals.

The overall cost of the outbreak to government departments in the province was put at �24m with staff costs amounting to �11.5m.

DUP assembly member Ian Paisley Jnr welcomed the report but condemned what he called the "incompetence" of the department in dealing with the disease.

"Foot-and-mouth should never have arrived in Northern Ireland and the department must take responsibility for this," he said.

"The department may claim to have been dealing with the problem but it still remains that there was "systematic abuse" of the livestock transportation system over a long period of time."

He also rejected claims that farmers had gained financially from the outbreak of the virus.

Brid Rodgers: Will study the report and make recommendations

The report also recommended future contingency plans and the development of an all-island strategy.

Friday's report is the first to look at the outbreaks in Northern Ireland but two other UK wide studies have already been made public.

A Royal Society inquiry, published last week, said animals on an infected farm should still be culled but suggested healthy livestock on neighbouring premises should be vaccinated as a "major tool of first resort" to prevent the disease spreading further.

But the minister said she remained to be convinced that vaccination was the right option.