Egypt does not have a problem with Irish beef, the Minister for Agriculture told the House. Mr Walsh said he had spoken to the Egyptian deputy prime minister and agriculture minister yesterday who told him the decision to suspend licences to western Europe was a temporary measure until the "confusion in Europe is resolved".
Mr Walsh said Dr Goweili would await the outcome of the Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, which "will be an extremely important one for the Irish industry and for the future of the beef industry as a whole".
He was responding to a Dail private notice question on the banning of European beef by Egypt, which is the State's biggest market. Exports which are already en route to Egypt will continue and problems would not be expected for a fortnight.
Mr Walsh said he would meet Dr Goweili and his officials after the EU Ministers' meeting, when he would travel directly to Egypt. Arrangements were also in place for the Taoiseach to speak by phone to the Egyptian president, Mr Hosni Mubarak, "over the coming days".
Mr Willie Penrose (Lab, Westmeath) asked what the loss of the Egyptian market would be to the Republic and why the Minister did not impose a complete ban on meat and bonemeal.
Mr Walsh said the loss would be a real "body blow" because it represented about 157,000 tonnes or 450,000 cattle. He had no difficulty with a ban on bonemeal if it contributed to consumer confidence. However, the real problem with bonemeal was cross-contamination and that had been avoided in Ireland. Last year 140,000 tonnes of meat and bonemeal were produced in Ireland and only 2,000 tonnes of that were used in Ireland. "That gives an indication that banning it would not be the end of the world."