The response and approach of the Government to the BSE crisis had been "clear, sure and effective," the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, said in answer to questions from opposition deputies. "Consumers have been reassured about the quality of Irish beef and a major diplomatic offensive has been undertaken in the last month to maintain our third-country markets," he said.
Irish Mr Des O'Malley (PD) claimed a substantial proportion of beef was now precluded from entering the British market by new regulations introduced there.
Mr Deenihan responded that, pending further investigation, his information was that these regulations would not affect Irish beef exports to Britain to any great extent.
