Abbatoirs & Knackery The Abattoirs Act provides for the licensing of abattoirs and knackeries and, in particular, provides veterinary and hygiene controls. An abattoir is any premises used to slaughter animals whose meat is intended for human consumption. It includes a slaughterhouse but not a place on a farm other than as specified used for the occasional slaughter of a pig or animal injured by […]
Assurance Scheme The National Beef Assurance Act established the National Beef Assurance Scheme. The purchase of the scheme was to establish standards under which animals, carcasses and meat intended for human consumption are to be produced, processed, traded or handled under which feedstuffs shall be manufactured or traded, continue and develop animal tracing systems for the collection of data on the computerised monitoring system. The […]
Import and Export of Live Farm Animals There is free movement of live farm animals between EU Member States in accordance with EU trade regulations. Live farm animals are subject to veterinary inspection and health certification at their place of origin in the exporting country and to checks at their place of destination in the importing country. This freedom of movement of animals poses extra […]
EU Beef Carcase Classification Scheme The aim of the Beef Carcase Classification Scheme is to ensure a common classification standard throughout the European Union. This enables the EU to operate a standardised beef price reporting system. From late 2004, most beef carcases are classified by mechanical means. Department licensed factory employees classify the balance. The criteria for classifying are as follows: • Conformation (the shape […]
Definitions Notifiable Diseases: The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides the basic legislation for the control and eradication of animal diseases. The following diseases, if suspected or confirmed, must be notified to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in accordance with th Act or the Bovine TB and Brucellosis orders. Anthrax, Bluetongue, Brucellosis in ruminating animals and swine, Campylobacteriosis, Caseous Lymphadenitis, Contagious Agalactia, […]
Irish Bovine Animal Identification System The aim of the Bovine Animal Identification System is to guarantee the safety of beef and beef products by the operation of an effective animal identification and tracing system. The system has four elements: tagging, bovine passport, on-farm bovine herd registers and a computerised database. The important aspects of each of the elements of identification are as follows: Tagging The […]
Diseases Legislation The Diseases of Animals Act 1966 consolidated existing legislation and animal diseases. The legislation was updated in 2001 and was repealed by the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. The legislation was supplemented by an enormous quantity of animal health legislation emanating from the European Union. Much of that is dealt with separately in the section under EU directives on various matters. Application […]
Powers of Inspectors An inspector appointed under the legislation has all the powers of a member of An Garda Síochána in the place where he is acting. He may enter land, buildings, pens or other places where animals are kept where he has reasonable grounds to suspect that disease exists or has existed within 56 days a carcass of a diseased or suspected animal or […]
Overall The principal diseases are notifiable. Any person who suspects the existence of a disease must notify the Department’s local district veterinary office. Restrictions on movement will be placed until the all-clear is given. There are parallel laws in relation to the disease eradication and control emanating from the European Union. For example, the BSE s governed by EU-based orders whereas bovine tuberculosis and foot […]
Orders to Control The Destructive Insects and Pests (Consolidation) Act, 1958 provides for measures to deal with prevention and control of destructive insects or pests and for the biological control of plant pests. Crops cover agricultural crops as well as trees, bushes, seeds, plants and every part thereof. Destructive insects include insects destructive to crops, fungi and other pests, bacteria or other vegetable or animal […]
Reform The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 updated and consolidated the wide range of animal health laws relating to both domestic and farmed animals. It repealed a wide range of legislation ranging from cruelty to animals legislation, treatment and slaughter of farm animals, livestock, diseases of animals legislation. An animal under the legislation covers the entire animal kingdom other than human beings. Farm animals […]
Authorised Officers The Department of Agriculture may appoint/authorise officers of the Department to enforce the animal health and welfare legislation. The local authority may appoint/authorise officers in respect of certain aspects of the legislation, in particular in respect of non-farm animals. The Department may contract under service agreements for the conferral of authorised officer powers on a contractor. In this latter case, the authorised officer’s […]
Import of live animals. There are a number of directives dealing with both the import and transit of animals. One category of directives deals with imports from outside the EU, whereas another category deal with imports between EU states. Technically, imports between EU states are described as intra-EU trade whereas imports refer to imports from outside the EU. The directive on the import of live […]
General There are a number of directives dealing with both the import and transit of animals. One category of directives deals with imports from outside the EU whereas another category deal with imports between EU states. Technically imports between EU states are described as intra EU trade whereas imports referred to imports from outside the EU. The directive on the import of live animals lays […]
Bovine and Swine There exist intra-EU controls on trade in certain animals. There is a directive on trade within the EU in bovine animals and swine for breeding, production, or slaughter. The transport of bovine animals and swine to another state is permitted if they do not display a sign of clinical disease they have not been obtained from a holding subject to a prohibition they […]
General EU laws on animal health and welfare are adopted by the Parliament and the EU Council, the latter acting by qualified majority voting. The rules usually reflect international standards including, in particular, those adopted by the World Organisation for Animal Health. EU funding typically covers 50 percent of the national government’s cost. EU legislation covered the following areas, in particular; Disease prevention; animal health […]
Identification and registration There are a number of EU regulations dealing with the identification and registration of animals. The purpose is to create a comprehensive tracing system to protect animal health and food safety. There are different regulations in respect of different species/products. Regulation in respect of the identification and registration of bovine animals and labelling of meat follow the pattern of the other regulations. […]