THE Department of Agriculture is expecting to be told today by the Egyptian government if it will restore the live cattle trade with Ireland.
The deal has the potential to generate up to £200 million worth of business.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, was in contact on Sunday with his opposite number in Egypt, Dr Youssuf Wally, who is also deputy Prime Minister.
The contact followed a meeting of the International Veterinary Committee in Paris last week which provided veterinary confirmation for the Egyptian government that there is no known case of a bullock having contracted BSE.
Those assurances were communicated to the Egyptian veterinary authorities last week, and Mr Yates contacted Dr Wally on Sunday to see if progress had been made.
Early last month Mr Yates and a trade mission travelled to Egypt to attempt to restart the live trade which ceased on January 6th because of rising BSE figures in the Irish herd.
While the political will existed to allow the importation of live Irish cattle into Egypt, the matter was referred to Egyptian veterinary experts who will eventually decide the matter.
Egypt has continued to import large quantities of Irish beef during the past five months despite the ban on live trade.
In Cairo last month Egyptian importers made it clear that, if allowed, they would prefer to import Irish rather than Australian cattle because Irish animals adapt more easily to Egyptian conditions and the beef is said to taste better.
There were complaints that the Australian animals were difficult to handle.
Two handlers have been killed since January and there were also unacceptable losses during transportation from Australia.