Canada has reopened its market to Irish and European beef, 19 years after it blocked all imports because of mad cow disease.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Canada has reauthorised the import of beef from 19 member states.

The deal was brokered by the European Commission and follows an EU-wide audit process.

Ireland was a leading participant in the process, having hosted a visit from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in February last year.

There will be no restriction on the age of cattle from which beef can be exported, the department also confirmed.

The deal comes in the wake of Ireland being granted access to beef markets in the US, China and Japan, which had also been closed since the infamous BSE crisis of the 1990s.

Separately, Ireland has also reached agreement with authorities in Oman on veterinary health certification which will allow for the export of beef and sheep meat from Ireland to the region for the first time.

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said: "I am delighted to see the re-opening of this potentially valuable market in Canada. This is a market with strong Irish links, which appreciates premium quality foods and should be a natural fit for Irish beef."

“ It builds on the progress in accessing the US market earlier this year,” he said, noting Ireland’s role in showcasing its production systems as part of the EU audit played a key role in securing this access.

He said the department would now commence work with interested plants here to ensure that the trade in product can commence as soon as possible.

Richard Clinton, group commercial director of Dawn Meats, said: “The reopening of Canada to exports of Irish beef is a welcome development, following as it does on the resumption of business in the USA earlier this year.”

“In anticipation of the reopening of this significant market, our business development team have been working over the last number of months to again add Canada to the list of over 40 countries we supply.”