MEAT factories have been urged to start paying “a decent price” to farmers for Irish beef following the European Commission decision to impose a total ban on Brazilian imports from today.

THE Government has requested the Brazilian embassy to ask a countryman who failed to show at the inquest of the 14-year-old girl he raped to return to Ireland voluntarily for questioning.

BRAZIL’S ambassador to Ireland yesterday claimed the Government and gardaí were aware of a plan to repatriate a Brazilian prior to his appearance at the inquest of a 14-year-old Irish girl he had raped.