Animal welfare groups are to picket the Department of Agriculture this week in protest against the export of Irish animals.
Compassion In World Farming is leading the campaign to ban live exports from the Republic, which it says is a "cruel and unnecessary" trade.
A letter detailing evidence of cruelty to the animals, particularly in the Lebanon, is to be handed to the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
Ms Mary Anne Bartlett, director of CIWF Ireland, said the group had no problem with the exportation of meat - but wanted to outlaw the practice of transporting live animals across Europe and particularly to the Middle East.
"If we just export meat we resolve all welfare problems. At the moment we are exporting live animals in unnatural conditions across Europe.
"In particular, we have a problem with the cattle that are exported to the Lebanon for slaughter."
Ms Bartlett said shipping the animals takes up to 10 days in good conditions.
She objected to animals being slaughtered without first being stunned. "We filmed this and you can clearly see that this ritual slaughter is very difficult," she said.
"Obviously that is the culture in Lebanon and we don't wish to dictate what countries do or do not do.
"We do, however, strongly object to the fact that Irish animals are being sent out to be slaughtered in such a way."
CIWF said the transport of live animals was totally unnecessary.
The group will be using the Irish EU presidency to campaign for the banning of this trade.
Mr Walsh has become president of the Council of Agriculture Ministers, which will decide on new EU laws regarding animal transport.
Ms Bartlett continued: "The laws on the table are completely inadequate.
"They do not include any limit on the length of journeys that animals can be taken for slaughter or further fattening.
"They do not refer to the export of animals to non-EU countries, like the Lebanon where they can be treated in any way.
"All they refer to is a rest period for an animal, which is 12 hours every eight hours of road transport. That rest period is on the livestock vehicle and seems to us to be of little benefit.
"We will be sending the message loud and clear to Minister Walsh - Stop Live Exports."
The protest will be held at noon on Thursday outside the Department of Agriculture offices in Kildare Street, Dublin.