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| Nine NI farms used tainted feed | Nine NI farms used tainted feed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nine Northern Ireland farms have used the same contaminated feed which has led to a recall of all pig products processed in the Republic. | Nine Northern Ireland farms have used the same contaminated feed which has led to a recall of all pig products processed in the Republic. |
| Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew said restrictions had been placed on the farms on Friday. | Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew said restrictions had been placed on the farms on Friday. |
| The UK's Food Standards Agency has said pork from the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland should not be eaten. | The UK's Food Standards Agency has said pork from the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland should not be eaten. |
| Dioxins were found in slaughtered Irish pigs, thought to have eaten contaminated feed. | Dioxins were found in slaughtered Irish pigs, thought to have eaten contaminated feed. |
| Ms Gildernew said restrictions were put in place on Friday night when the situation began to unfold. She said the farms were identified on her department's electronic monitoring system. | Ms Gildernew said restrictions were put in place on Friday night when the situation began to unfold. She said the farms were identified on her department's electronic monitoring system. |
| "My officials have been in close contact with their counterparts in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) since this situation developed," she said. | "My officials have been in close contact with their counterparts in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) since this situation developed," she said. |
| "There is obviously a large amount of north south movement of these products in Ireland and we need to carefully consider the way ahead." | "There is obviously a large amount of north south movement of these products in Ireland and we need to carefully consider the way ahead." |
| She added that Northern Ireland's Health Minisiter Michael McGimpsey was being kept informed of developments. | She added that Northern Ireland's Health Minisiter Michael McGimpsey was being kept informed of developments. |
| Following a meeting in Belfast the FSA said it would continue to investigate if any contaminated products had been distributed in the UK. | |
| Gerry McMurdy said consumers should avoid Irish pork | |
| "From the information that we have at this time, we do not believe there is significant risk to UK consumers as adverse health effects from eating the affected products are only likely if people are exposed to relatively high levels of this contaminant for long periods," the FSA said. | "From the information that we have at this time, we do not believe there is significant risk to UK consumers as adverse health effects from eating the affected products are only likely if people are exposed to relatively high levels of this contaminant for long periods," the FSA said. |
| Tests on the slaughtered Irish pigs showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit. | Tests on the slaughtered Irish pigs showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit. |
| Joe McDonald from the Ulster Farmers' Union said clear guidance was needed from the FSA in Belfast. | Joe McDonald from the Ulster Farmers' Union said clear guidance was needed from the FSA in Belfast. |
| "This is a very, very important time of the year for pig farmers and it is very important the public are confident about the produce they are buying," he said. | "This is a very, very important time of the year for pig farmers and it is very important the public are confident about the produce they are buying," he said. |
| "We want to make sure that this situation is dealt with very vigorously, and that there is clear guidance given to the public and that we deal with this a quickly as possible so that in the coming days we can restore normality." | "We want to make sure that this situation is dealt with very vigorously, and that there is clear guidance given to the public and that we deal with this a quickly as possible so that in the coming days we can restore normality." |
| The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, said the problem was confined to 47 farms. | The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, said the problem was confined to 47 farms. |
| "This includes 38 beef farms," he said. | "This includes 38 beef farms," he said. |
| "This is the total number of farms identified as having received possible contaminated animal feed. There is only one feed supplier involved." | "This is the total number of farms identified as having received possible contaminated animal feed. There is only one feed supplier involved." |
| The Food Safety Authority Ireland's chief executive Alan Reilly said: "The levels in the feed were very high. The levels in the pork itself were in the region of about 80-200 times above the safe limits." | The Food Safety Authority Ireland's chief executive Alan Reilly said: "The levels in the feed were very high. The levels in the pork itself were in the region of about 80-200 times above the safe limits." |
| Padraig Walshe, president of the Irish Farmers' Association, described the recall as "an absolute disaster" at an important time of the year for the pig sector. | Padraig Walshe, president of the Irish Farmers' Association, described the recall as "an absolute disaster" at an important time of the year for the pig sector. |
| Risk | Risk |
| He stressed that fewer than 10% of the products on the market had been processed since 1 September. | He stressed that fewer than 10% of the products on the market had been processed since 1 September. |
| About 7,000 people are employed in the Republic of Ireland's pig industry, including about 1,200 on farms. | About 7,000 people are employed in the Republic of Ireland's pig industry, including about 1,200 on farms. |
| Almost 500 farmers produce 3.6 million pigs annually, according to the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Agency. | Almost 500 farmers produce 3.6 million pigs annually, according to the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Agency. |
| The industry exports approximately 60% of its production and is worth more than 250m euros (£216m) a year. | The industry exports approximately 60% of its production and is worth more than 250m euros (£216m) a year. |
| The British Pig Executive said that between April-July this year, the UK imported 230,000 tonnes of pork and bacon, with up to 15,000 of those from the Republic of Ireland. | The British Pig Executive said that between April-July this year, the UK imported 230,000 tonnes of pork and bacon, with up to 15,000 of those from the Republic of Ireland. |
| Pizza | Pizza |
| Consumers and retailers in the Irish Republic have been warned to destroy all Irish pork and bacon products bought since 1 September as a precaution. | Consumers and retailers in the Irish Republic have been warned to destroy all Irish pork and bacon products bought since 1 September as a precaution. |
| Bacon, ham, sausages, white pudding and pizzas with ham toppings must be included in the withdrawal of stocks, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said. | Bacon, ham, sausages, white pudding and pizzas with ham toppings must be included in the withdrawal of stocks, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said. |
| Dioxins are formed during combustion processes, such as waste incineration, and during some industrial processes. | Dioxins are formed during combustion processes, such as waste incineration, and during some industrial processes. |
| The presence of the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - a substance banned in the Irish Republic since the 1970s - in animal feed and pork samples was confirmed on Saturday afternoon in test results from a UK laboratory. | The presence of the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - a substance banned in the Irish Republic since the 1970s - in animal feed and pork samples was confirmed on Saturday afternoon in test results from a UK laboratory. |
| Chronic long-term exposure to the dioxin can have serious health effects, including causing cancers, but Irish officials said the recall would ensure consumers only had minimum exposure to it. | Chronic long-term exposure to the dioxin can have serious health effects, including causing cancers, but Irish officials said the recall would ensure consumers only had minimum exposure to it. |
| The country's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said anyone who had eaten pig meat did not need to seek medical help. | The country's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said anyone who had eaten pig meat did not need to seek medical help. |