The Government has moved to ensure Irish people can continue to eat T-bone steaks following a decision by the EU Veterinary Committee to recommend the removal of the vertebrae from beef.
Chief veterinary officers from all EU member-states last night backed a proposal by the Food Safety Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, that the vertebral column of all cattle aged over 12 months be removed.
Sweden, Finland and Austria, which have yet to report any native cases of BSE, are exempt from the ban. Extra safety controls in Britain and Portugal mean the ban will not apply there for the time being.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed it would look for a derogation from the ban because of the low levels of BSE here and the controls that are already in place. However, a final decision will be made by EU farm ministers.
Other measures approved last night include a ban on the use of mechanically recovered meat from cattle, sheep and goats, and a demand that animal fats be pressure cooked before being fed to animals.
Mr Byrne claimed the measures add an additional layer of protection for consumers worried about BSE.
"What is vitally important now in our efforts to combat BSE is that member-states are being vigilant in ensuring that all existing safety laws are being fully applied," he said.
The Department also announced last night that it had detected two inches of Specified Risk Material in beef imported here from Germany, which was destined for the Oxfleisch factory in Co Monaghan.
It said it had removed the quarter in which the spinal cord was found.