Debate contribution: The Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025: Prayer of Annulment
Debate contribution by Mr Declan McAleer on .
- MLA
- Mr Declan McAleer
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 24 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- The Animals (Identification, Records, Movement and Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025: Prayer of Annulment
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4813510
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I oppose the prayer of annulment against this essential statutory rule, which makes necessary and technical amendments to the North's livestock IRM regulations. The changes are not about policy shifts, nor do they introduce new burdens on farmers; rather, they ensure the continued operability of our livestock traceability system, which is critical to public health, trade and the reputation of our agriculture industry. For decades, the North has had a robust farm-to-fork traceability system that has ensured the highest standards of food safety, animal health and disease control. That is not just a domestic priority but a vital requirement for maintaining access to key export markets. Without a legally enforceable traceability regime, we risk damaging consumer confidence and jeopardising trade relationships that our farmers and the agri-food sector rely on. The EU animal health law, which came into effect in April 2021, consolidated and replaced various EU laws on livestock IRM. Since the North remains aligned with certain EU agri-food regulations under the Windsor framework, our domestic laws must reflect those updates. The statutory rule simply amends outdated references in existing legislation, ensuring that our legal framework remains functional and enforceable. The introduction of the XI country code for the North's livestock's tags is, additionally, a requirement under the AHL to distinguish the North's exports from those of Britain. That transition, which is already under way, provides clarity for farmers and trading partners and is necessary to comply with our international commitments. The Department has questions to answer, however, about why the SR, given its significance, was not brought to the Committee when the institutions got up and running last year. If the prayer of annulment is successful, the consequences will be severe. The Department will lack the legal authority to enforce livestock identification and movement regulations, undermining disease control measures. Public health could be compromised due to weakened traceability of livestock from farm to consumer, and export markets may question the North's compliance with EU requirements, potentially leading to trade barriers and economic harm for our farming sector. The North's reputation as a producer of safe, high-quality agricultural products could suffer lasting damage. The SR is not about imposing unnecessary regulations; it is about maintaining a system that has served us well for years and ensures compliance, safeguards public health and protects our agri-food sector from unnecessary risks. To oppose the measure would be to undermine the foundation of our livestock industry's credibility. For those reasons, I urge Members to reject the prayer of annulment and support the responsible governance of our agriculture sector.
425 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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