Many of the measures introduced in the context of FMD have been discontinued having regard to the facts that there has not been a case of FMD in the Britain since 30 September 2001, the lifting by the EU of all FMD-related restrictions on trade in animals and animal products from the UK and the recent re-instatement by the OIE, the world animal health body, of the UK to FMD-free status. However, a number of measures have been retained in the interests of protecting Ireland's animal health status.
As a result, the position is now as follows: full intra-community trade and certification rules apply to trade with Northern Ireland in animals of susceptible species; restrictions on the frequency of internal livestock movements, for example the 30 day rule, remain in place and will be kept under review; disinfection and enhanced controls at points of access to the State, i.e. ports and airports by persons travelling from outside the island of Ireland are retained; and a range of other measures such as sheep tagging, registration of dealers, regulation of trade in sheep and pigs with Northern Ireland and controls on sheep shearing and AI, remain as permanent features.
Close liaison is maintained with Northern Ireland and other authorities. Protection of the animal health status of the island of Ireland is of course a particular concern of the North-South Ministerial Council. In this regard, and as jointly mandated by Minister Rodgers and I, an active programme of work across a range of headings and involving officials from my Department and its counterpart in Belfast is now under way. This will result in an unprecedented degree of North-South co-operation on animal health issues, to the benefit of all involved in agriculture in both parts of Ireland.
