Almost 50,000 contaminated pigs have already been slaughtered as a result of the dioxin scare that led to the withdrawal of all Irish pork and bacon products late last year.

The slaughter of 100,000 pigs caught up in the recent pork contamination scare is reportedly due to get underway today.

The European Commission is to co-fund a compensation scheme for farmers and producers affected by the recent contamination scare in the pork industry.

The Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland is encouraging consumers to buy Irish meat as it returns to supermarket shelves around the country today.

Trade unions say they hope hundreds of people laid off in the pig-meat processing sector over the past week will be able to resume their jobs in the coming days.

The North's Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that it is investigating an oil recycling plant suspected of being the source of the dioxin contamination in Irish pork.

Irish pork products should start returning to the shelves in the coming days following agreement on a compensation deal between the Government and pig-meat processors.

The pigmeat processing industry has today expressed relief that an agreement has been reached with Government on a rescue package for the industry.

The European Food Safety Authority is moving to reassure European consumers about the safety of Irish-produced meat.

Dozens of pig producers are protesting outside the Department of Agriculture this afternoon demanding that meat processing plants are re-opened.

The Co Carlow food recycling plant at the centre of the pork contamination crisis has issued a statement saying it only ever purchased oil from a legitimate supplier in the Republic of Ireland.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has told the Dáil that progress is being made in talks between the Government and pig-meat processors.

Gardaí and the PSNI are reportedly investigating if waste oil that should have been stored or incinerated in the North is the source of the pig-meat contamination scare in the Republic.

The Government's Chief Veterinary Officer is expected to press home the point that Irish beef remains 100% safe to eat at an EU meeting later today.

Pig-meat processors and officials from the Department of Agriculture are due to resume talks this morning in an effort to reach agreement on the reopening of the sector.

The Government has confirmed that three cattle herds have tested positive for unsafe levels of dioxin as a result of contaminated feed provided by a Carlow-based supplier.

China has become the latest country to ban all imports of pork from Ireland as a result of the dioxin contamination scare.

Hundreds more jobs have been lost in the pig-meat processing industry this morning as a result of the dioxin scare that has seen Irish pork withdrawn from shops worldwide.

Pig-meat producers are due to resume talks with the Department of Agriculture this morning in an effort to fix the crisis in the pork and bacon industry.

The Government is expected to face tough questions on the pork industry crisis when the Dáil begins its weekly business this afternoon.

The Department of Agriculture has said the company in Co Carlow at the centre of the pork scare did not use proper oil in its machinery.

The European Commission says 12 EU member states and nine other countries have been affected by the contamination scare surrounding Irish pork.

SIPTU says around 900 workers have been laid off at four pig-meat plants in Offaly, Leitrim and Tipperary this morning as a result of the dioxin contamination scare.

The European Commission has called a meeting of food safety experts to co-ordinate an EU-wide response to the Irish pork contamination scare.

Around 100,000 pigs will have to be culled as a result of the major food safety scare that has led to Irish pork and bacon products being removed from sale worldwide.

Fears of an EU-wide ban on Irish pork products over a contamination scare were growing today despite moves by pig farmers to kick start the multi-million euro industry.

Toxic substances found in pork products will have no harmful effects, health experts have said.

The Minister for Food Trevor Sargent has admitted that the presence of PCBs in Irish pig meat would have been confirmed sooner if facilities to detect dioxins were available in Ireland.

All Irish pork products are continuing to be recalled across the country after a toxin was found in pig food.

The Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety Authority have launched an investigation into the discovery of contaminated animal feed.