The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, is visiting Tripoli for talks aimed at securing an early resumption of the shipment of live animals from Ireland to Libya.
This time last year the Irish and Libyan governments signed an agreement which cleared the way for resumption of the export trade, which is worth about £10 million annually.
Libya had been taking up to 70,000 head of cattle from Ireland annually until March 1996, when possible links between BSE and the human form of the disease, CJD, were publicised.
Following a series of visits by Irish delegations to Tripoli and by Libyan delegations to Dublin, agreement on resumption of the trade was eventually reached last year after a meeting between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and a Libyan delegation headed by Mr Ahmed el-Atrish, who was educated at Trinity College Dublin.
The Government discussed the possibility of providing scientific, technical and diagnostic training for Libyan students in return for Tripoli's agreement to take Irish cattle.
The setting up of a joint economic committee to stimulate trade between the two countries was also discussed.
However, while relations between Tripoli and the rest of the developed world have improved dramatically following the handing over for trial of the two Libyan nationals suspected of the Lockerbie bombing, there has been no indication from Libya on when it might be prepared to resume imports of Irish cattle.
Despite positive signals and an announcement by Mr Walsh that he expected the cattle trade to resume in September, no date for resumption of the shipments has been set.
Libya has been purchasing its beef at very competitive rates from Australia and from countries in eastern Europe, especially Romania.
During his stay in Tripoli Mr Walsh will have a series of meetings with senior Libyan officials and members of the government.
Mr Walsh yesterday rejected claims by Mr Declan O'Brien, of the Animal and Plant Health Association, that he had not been working hard enough at EU level to oppose the Commission's decision to order the withdrawal from sale of some equine medicines. The move is being made because horse meat is sold as food in some EU countries.
Mr Walsh rejected Mr O'Brien's criticisms "out of hand" and said he was initiating moves in Brussels aimed at resolving the problem.