Martin: Full rigours of law should apply in horsemeat controversy, if required

on 16/01/2013 16:09:11

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said there should be a rigorous inquiry into any suggestion of criminal involvement in the discovery of horsemeat in Irish-produced beef burgers.

Micheál Martin was responding to claims by the technical director of Tesco who said the only two ways horsemeat could have ended up in beef burgers was through "illegality or gross negligence".

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said the most likely source of the horse meat was a protein product which was imported from Spain or the Netherlands before being added to Irish beef.

Mr Martin said the full rigors of the law should apply if there is any indication of illegality or negligence.

"It raises the bar very significantly in terms of the issues at stake here," he said. "It raises the bar very significantly in terms of the issues at stake here."