THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has been assured that representations to secure the lifting of the Egyptian ban on live cattle from Ireland are being considered at "the most senior level" in Cairo.
The assurance came from Egypt's Foreign Minister, Mr Amr Moussa, who told Mr Spring that he would be in contact with him tomorrow following a meeting of officials in Cairo.
It is understood that Egyptian officials will be examining technicalinformation forwarded by Mr Spring to his Egyptian counterpart about the additional safeguards put in place since Egyptian vets last visited Ireland three years ago.
A spokesman for Mr Spring said he was hopeful that progress was being made towards the speedy removal of the ban.
It was also confirmed yesterday that the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has written to the Egyptian President, Mr Hosni Mubarak, asking for a removal of the ban and offering assurances on the safety of Irish steer beef.
A spokesman for the Live Exporters Association said yesterday his members were pleased with the progress being made by the Government in its attempts to secure the lifting of the Egyptian ban.
The spokesman added that Mr Spring had confirmed that all the animals which had recently arrived in Egypt from Ireland had been accepted into the country.
Meanwhile, there was more bad news for the beef industry last night with the confirmation by the Department of Agriculture of a 4.273 per cent revaluation of the green pound, the notional EU farm currency.
According to the Irish Meat Association, which represents the State's beef factories, the revaluation of the green pound will result in a drop of 4 pence a lb in the price they can pay for beef. A statement explained that due to the latest revaluation of the green currency and a 2 per cent revaluation last November, export refunds would be reduced for Irish exporters competing in third markets against other EU countries which had not had their green currencies revalued.
A statement from the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, said he had advised the Commission that the level of loss to Ireland would be in the region of £40 million. He had asked the Commission to draw up an appropriate proposal on compensation for the Council of Ministers.
A spokesman for the IMA predicted that there would be a decreased demand for heavier cattle in the immediate future because of uncertainty in the markets in recent days. He called for such cattle to be sold as soon as they become ready for market.
The spokesman pointed out that, under current EU intervention rules, only 50 per cent of the bullocks in the Republic qualified for intervention.
A spokesman for the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, said yesterday in Brussels that he was awaiting proposals from the Department of Agriculture in Dublin on amendments to the intervention rules. He warned, however, that the present crisis in the beef industry should not be used to lower the price being paid for cattle in Ireland.