AFP - Irish cattle have tested positive for chemicals which have triggered a cancer scare previously confined to pork, Ireland's farm minister said Tuesday, but insisted the public health risk was minimal.

Brendan Smith said only three cattle herds were above a threshold for dioxins, the presence of which in pigs sparked a major recall of pork products and an export ban at the weekend.

"To all intents and purposes this is not a public health issue," he said, adding that the public risks "are extremely low... We do not expect to see symptoms occurring as a consequence in this."

"The results show that eight out of the 11 herds are clear and three are above the proposed legislative limits" for the dioxins, he told journalists in Dublin.

"This would make the samples technically non-compliant but not at a level that would pose any public health concern."

Ireland sounded the alarm on Saturday, recalling all pork products made since September 1 after dioxins, which in high doses can cause cancer, were found in slaughtered pigs thought to have eaten tainted feed.

Officials sought to play down the health risk, saying that data from past dioxin scares in Belgium and Italy showed the chances of someone becoming ill, even after being exposed to large amounts of contaminated meat, were "very low".

But the recall has caused panic in Ireland at a time when many families would have been buying their traditional Christmas ham, and deals another blow to the recession-hit Irish economy.

The Irish farm minister pledged Tuesday a rapid response to the new findings about cattle. "Consistent with the precautionary approach taken to date and to provide reassurance to consumers the following actions are being taken.

"Any animals in herds shown to be above the proposed legal limit will be taken out of the food and feed chain. Any product from these herds will not be released onto the market," he said.

"The European Commission is being informed of the results," he added.