We’re getting some of that delicious Irish beef: Authorities have reached an agreement with the Republic of Ireland to reopen the Egyptian market to exports of Irish beef, Ireland’s confirmed. The agreement provides for the approval of five Irish plants to commence exports to Egypt once the necessary technical arrangements are in place, and also includes approvals approval for beef offals and a limited approval for particular types of sheepmeat products. Egypt banned imports of EU beef in November 2000, according to RTE, over mad cow disease fears and Minister Michael Creed says, prior to the ban “we know … it was one of the largest markets for Irish beef at the time.” Prior to this agreement, Ireland had been cleared to export live cattle to Egypt in February 2016, after an inspection visit to Ireland by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. The US had lifted its own 15-year ban on importing Irish beef in January 2015.