Martin slams 4-week delay over horsemeat results

A four-week delay between initial test results showing horsemeat in beef burgers and the agriculture minister being informed was “not good enough”, according to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

The Government defended the failure to make earlier tests public, saying “conclusive results” only became available last Friday and that the minister, Simon Coveney, was informed on Monday.

Initial tests were carried out in November and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland contacted the Department of Agriculture on Dec 21 to ask for assistance in obtaining further tests.