Vol. 545 No. 3
58 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has put the necessary measures in place to ensure that all animals for export to Egypt are tested for BSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30162/01]
On 7 October, I announced that the Egyptian authorities had that day published a decree to extend the existing European wide ban but in a major development the decree provided for an exemption for countries with BSE controls of the type operated by Ireland. Since then, all details requested by the Egyptian authorities have been provided and Egypt has now formally listed Ireland as a country which meets the required criteria for beef imports into Egypt.
The question of competing for contracts and complying with the requirement to have all animals for the Egyptian market test negatively for BSE is a commercial matter for the exporters involved. Tissue samples for the purpose of BSE testing of animals for the Egyptian market will be taken under the veterinary supervision of my Department and I am satisfied that there will be sufficient availability of EU approved rapid testing in Ireland to meet the additional demand likely to be imposed by the Egyptian market.
