THE Minister for Agriculture is convinced that Ireland has weathered the storm of the year long BSE crisis, which has "utterly changed" the beef industry.
But, Mr Yates added, while the crisis would continue until 1998, he was confident that all the necessary steps had been taken to eradicate the disease from the Irish herd.
"We have in place the depopulation of the herds involved and progeny and cohorts, " he said. We have sealed the Border and separated meat and bonemeal from the white meat and red trade."
There has been a shake out of the rendering industry, said Mr Yates, adding that he expected the amended BSE plan to be accepted by the EU before next Thursday, the first anniversary of the crisis. As a result, Ireland would qualify for a 70 per cent rebate on some of the expenditure involved in the removal of Specific Risk Materials from animals.
"It has been a watershed year for the beef industry, with a transformation of attitude where the focus is now on the consumer rather than producer," he said.
Total steer killings were at a record high, he said, while the price has been reduced.
The restrictions of markets in Russia and Egypt had been traumatic but unlike 1990-93, during the first BSE crisis, Ireland had managed to keep its principal markets without stockpiling beef.
"The whole culture has changed with the Beef Safety Assurance Scheme." He added: "During the EU presidency we have overseen the beef reforms but it will take two years for the market to come in balance."
And while last year was tough for farmers, it had been eased by direct compensation of £100 million and through other EU schemes, he said an extra £40 million was due to farmers.
Dealing with the dramatic rise in the number of BSE cases during 1996, the Minister said that although there had been increased cases of the disease Ireland has a very low incidence at 1:100,000 animals. "That is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack" said Mr Yates.
"The BSE numbers have started to plateau and the rate of increase in 1997 does not, after three months, look to be the same as in 1996. It seems to be levelling off" he said.
The Minister said he was looking to science to provide answers and solutions to the problem of BSE. What was being sought was an ante mortem test and post mortem test so absolute guarantees could be given to consumers.
The Minister said one of the positive things that had come from the crisis was that it had helped him get through the Dail the Abattoirs Act which had been around since 1988. The Department had got £2 million to fund, the operation of the Act and every local authority was now operating under its terms.
On the subject of selling Irish beef abroad, he said UK and continental markets were good but the industry could not become complacent.
"Egypt is still taking our beef and we are working on reopening the live trade," he said.
"We are getting out the beef to Russia despite the restrictions imposed by the Russian authorities."
The Minister said that in the last few days Irish renderers had been allowed sell meat and bonemeal abroad, and he had just approved funding of £4.76 million grant aid for eight rendering, plants to get them up to EU directive standards.
He estimated that the Department had spent £2 million on buying up stocks of meat and bonemeal.
For farmers, he said, 1996 had been a period of sustained pressure. It was a difficult year but one that made the producer very aware of the consumer.