The government tonight said it would take up "as a matter of urgency" with the German authorities the discovery of spinal cord in a consignment of beef.
The Department of Agriculture reported that the spinal cord had been detected during ongoing BSE control measures.
The beef involved had been imported from Germany for cutting and deboning by a firm at Carrickcacross, Co Monaghan.
The department said that after a detailed inspection prior to unloading, one quarter of beef had been found to contain around two inches of spinal cord.
The beef was condemned as unfit for human consumption and sent to a rendering plant for specified risk material.
The rest of the meat consignment was later released for commercial processing after being subjected to thorough examination.
A government statement on the affair said: "This department takes extremely seriously any incident of non-compliance with EU rules in relation to control of specified risk material and is taking the incident up with the German authorities as a matter of urgency."
PA