There has been more criticism here of the EU ban on sales of T-bone steaks. The Government is seeking a derogation for this country - insisting that Irish controls against BSE are the most stringent in Europe. Meanwhile, a study has shown that 3% of Irish beef carcasses are infected with a potentially fatal bug, e-coli 0157.
The President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association has said that he will be meeting the Minister for Agriculture today to discuss the proposed ban on T-bone steak. Earlier, the ICMSA President, Pat O'Rourke, described the EU's ban on T-bone steak, which has been prompted by the BSE scare, as "totally unjustified".
In a statement, the ICMSA said that the decision taken by the EU Veterinary Committee was an attempt to cloak its past incompetence. Pat O'Rourke accused the Veterinary Committee of doing virtually nothing to ensure that previous decisions aimed at eradicating BSE were implemented in all EU states.
It is thought that the latest development could have a negative impact on efforts to persuade Egypt to end its ban on live cattle imports from Ireland. Backing from the EU's powerful Standing Veterinary Committee, made of national chief veterinarians, means the controls will come into force on 1 April. 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.
