A 4c/pig levy will be introduced on all pigs slaughtered or exported from Ireland after the Dáil passed a motion on Tuesday.

The money raised from the levy will be used to fund work by Animal Health Ireland (AHI), to be matched by the Government which has committed to provide €125,000. The levy will be collected through slaughter plants.

Existing EU legislation is sufficient to safeguard against introduction of African swine fever through pigmeat imports, the Department has said.

Ireland imports pigmeat from China and Poland where the disease is present.

Implementing controls on pigmeat from other EU member states would “undermine the operation of the single market and the confidence of both EU and non-EU trading partners,” a spokesperson said.