The market for Irish live cattle exports to Egypt has now officially re-opened.

This is following a visit to Ireland by two officials from Egypt this week.

The Egyptian market has the capacity to import 150,000 cattle annually - with the first shipment Irish cattle expected to leave our shores by the end of 2016.

The IFA National Livestock Chairman Henry Burns says there needs to be more political representation for the sector.

Irish live cattle exports to Egypt ceased in January of 1997.