The bacteria, campylobacter, is a potentially lethal food poisoning bacteria and 98% of Irish chickens tested positive for it when they were assessed at processing stage while 50% tested positive at retail level. This is the highest rate in Europe.

According to Ella's report the Irish are also the highest consumers of poultry in Europe with 8 out of 10 of Irish adults eating chicken every week.

Dr Declan Bolton from Teagasc said that campylobacter is at "unacceptable levels" in Ireland.

When Sandra Loftus was infected with food poisoning from campylobacter, she suffered temporary paralysis, along with severe cramps, nausea and diarrohea. She had to spend three months in a high dependency ward in hospital and one year in rehabilitation.

However, she said she was one of the lucky ones as for 1 in 4 people the disease can be fatal.

Speaking to the presenter of the programme Keelin Shanley, Lisa O'Connor, a food scientist from the FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland), said the FSAI had a list of recommendations it had yet to put into practice that would help to lower levels of campylobacter in Ireland.

She said the first step in implementing these recommendations would be to train the farmer in relation to housing conditions etc. for poultry and monitoring so that they can receive feedback.

When asked by Keelin if the FSAI would consider a "name and shame" policy for supermarkets with the worst reputation for stocking birds containing the bacteria, such as takes place in the UK, O'Connor said it is something the FSAI would consider in the future.