The Department of Agriculture said that the primary responsibility for the safety and integrity of food placed on the market lay with food business operators (FBO).

IRELAND’S publication, last week, of details of EU rural development fund payments was described as a mockery of transparency by Farmsubsidy.org, which campaigns to make data on EU payments, and recipients of farm subsidies, available to European citizens.

Bankruptcy loomed for tourism interests close to the Irish border today as the slaughter of farm animals was intensified following confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease in Co Louth.

The latest cancellations in the Six Nations Championship will mean that any arrangement of fixtures will impose huge burdens on the Irish players particularly those involved in Munster’s European Cup bid as well.