A high-profile chef has accused Irish farmers of producing poor quality chicken meat.
Richard Corrigan, who runs Lindsay House restaurant in London, urged people to boycott the chickens, which he claimed were full of antibiotics, badly fed and poorly exercised.
"I'm appalled at the standard of chicken farming in Ireland. It's not good enough, people should demand better. So you should ask where it's coming from."
Mr Corrigan told RTÉ that some chickens were "stacked into some shed probably, fed a load of antibiotics and a load of crap". He said he would never eat a native chicken, unless it was from a farmers' market.
Mr Corrigan grew up on a 25-acre farm in Ballivor, Co Meath, but left Ireland at the age of 18 to work as a cook in Amsterdam, before moving to London. He was awarded a Michelin star in 1998 for Lindsay House, and also works as as a presenter on BBC's Full on Food. He has prepared lunch at 10 Downing Street for prime minister Tony Blair and the King and Queen of Jordan.
The Irish Farmers Association condemned what it called Mr Corrigan's ill- informed views.
Poultry committee chairman Alan Graham said there were strict regulations and quality assurance schemes in place to safeguard the health and welfare of chicken flocks.
"All houses must have a controlled environment which ensures that ambient temperature, air quality and lighting meet the needs of the flock throughout the growing cycle," Mr Graham said.
"Mr Corrigan may need some publicity for his new restaurant, but he should not abuse a platform afforded to him by peddling ill-informed views about chicken production in this country." - (PA)