DNA testing of meat will become a routine part of food testing nationwide, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has said.

Tesco has taken out advertisements in the national press today in an attempt to reassure customers over the horse meat scandal.

A major Irish catering firm has admitted burgers it served to 40 sites in the Republic and Northern Ireland — including two secondary schools — have tested positive for “horse DNA”.

The Agriculture Minister said that his Department's investigation into the presence of horse meat in beef products, focused on a cold store in Naas this week.

PRE-tax profits at the Queally brothers’ food processing business Arrow Group have fallen by almost 70% from €14.9 million to €4.7m.