Vol. 536 No. 3
140 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the progress to re-open the biggest beef export market and to ensure that the Egyptian authorities recognise the quality and safety controls in place here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14141/01]
The task of recovering markets for Irish beef is based very much on a restoration of confidence in the safety of our product. With that in mind, I and senior officials of my Department travelled to Egypt last December and met with the Egyptian authorities in Cairo in an effort to secure restoration of this market for Irish beef. The Taoiseach also spoke with President Mubarak on this matter. Further visits to Egypt were undertaken by officials of my Department this year, the most recent being at the end of April and I also took the opportunity earlier this month to raise the matter with a visiting Egyptian ministerial delegation.
I am satisfied the Egyptian authorities have a full appreciation of the low level of BSE in Ireland and of the way in which it is dealt with and of the effectiveness of the many layers of controls and checks that are in place. However, in many of our non-EU markets, and Egypt is a good example, the situation has been exacerbated by adverse public opinion as a result of sensationalised media reporting on BSE and, in particular, on the BSE developments in those EU countries which encountered their first cases last year.
Nevertheless, I can assure the Deputy that every effort, both directly and through diplomatic channels, is being made to re-open the Egyptian market to Irish beef. It is, however, clear that a restoration of exports to markets such as Egypt is linked to an easing of the concerns about BSE at EU level.
