The Minister for Agriculture has condemned the abuse of animals exposed by RTÉ Investigates and has said the issues raised will be "vigorously pursued" by a Department of Agriculture investigation which is under way.

Charlie McConalogue said: "What we saw was utterly unacceptable and in some instances illegal".

The RTÉ Investigates programme, 'Milking It; Dairy's Dirty Secret' revealed apparent breaches of animal welfare at several livestock marts in Ireland. In some footage mart workers could be seen repeatedly kicking young calves. Animals were also thrown from trailers on delivery into marts by both staff and farmers.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described footage filmed as part of the RTÉ Investigates report as "repugnant". Mr Varadkar said there would be "robust and timely" action against people found to have breached regulations in the footage.

Leo Varadkar confirmed a Department of Agriculture investigation into what the programme had revealed. He said that the reputation of the sector relied on compliance with the regulations in place.

He was responding to the Social Democrats Holly Cairns during Leaders’ questions in the Dáil. Holly Cairns said the RTÉ investigation had revealed "cruel and inexcusable" behaviour which she said was a direct result of Government policy on diary expansion.

Deputy Cairns said the mantra from the Government when milk quotas were lifted had been "no limits". Ms Cairns said that some bull calves had become "valueless and disposable" due to that policy.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has written to the Ceann Comhairle and has asked that the Dáil sets time aside to debate the issues raised on the programme before it goes into summer recess on Thursday.

Mr Murphy said the Dáil should hear from the Minister for Agriculture about the nature of the investigation launched in light of the RTÉ investigation, adding that the programme had revealed "the dark side of the dairy industry".

Read more: RTÉ undercover footage triggers investigation of marts

On the programme the Department of Agriculture said that out of over 1,000 inspections by its officials at livestock marts since 2021, 96 breaches of animal welfare were detected. The department did not inform the programme how many convictions or fines were issued as a result of the breaches detected.

The programme also investigated live exports and traced several loads of calves to multiple destinations in Europe. In once instance a truck carrying calves from Wicklow to Barcelona appeared to breach EU regulations on animal rest and feed times, and driver time limits.

Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane described much of what was revealed in the investigation as "vile" and she said it "flies in the face of common decency".

She said the live export policy will need to be reviewed if such exports are to continue, in light of what was revealed by RTÉ Investigates.

Regarding the apparent breaches of animal welfare laws, the party spokesperson on Agriculture said: "Laws need to be enforced and where there area breaches, there needs to be consequences."

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon said what was exposed by the programme was "utterly unacceptable" and he said that animal welfare rules "must be upheld".

RTÉ Investigates, Milking It; Dairy’s Dirty Secret is available to view on the RTÉ Player