S.I. No. 46/2008 - Diseases of Animals Act 1966 (Bluetongue) (Restriction on Imports from Restricted Zones) Order 2008

1. This Order may be cited as the

Diseases of Animals Act 1966

(Bluetongue) (Restriction on imports from restricted zones) Order 2008.

2. In this order “ruminant” means a female bovine animal aged 12 months or more, or a female sheep aged 6 months or more.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of the European Communities (Trade in Animals and Animal Products) Regulations, 1994 (

S.I. No. 289 of 1994

) and the European Communities (Bluetongue) Regulations 2007 (

S.I. No. 734 of 2007

), a person shall not import into the State a ruminant that has been on a premises or a holding in a restricted zone for bluetongue as defined in Commission Regulation 1266/2007/EC.

4. Article 3 does not apply to a ruminant going direct for slaughter.

5. A person shall not have in his or her possession or under his or her control a ruminant or a product derived from a ruminant that has been imported contrary to Article 2.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

22 February 2008

MARY COUGHLAN.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

Having regard to the emerging new evidence relating to transmission routes for bluetongue, and pending the adoption of revised EU rules on movements (assuming these are not adopted immediately), it is now proposed as a precautionary temporary measure to ban the import of female cattle over 12 months and female sheep over 6 months from premises and holdings in bluetongue restricted zones until 1 April, 2008. This will apply to cattle or sheep for breeding/fattening (but not those for slaughter).

S.I. No. 46 of 2008

DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT 1966 (BLUETONGUE) (RESTRICTION ON IMPORTS FROM RESTRICTED ZONES) ORDER 2008

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

29

th February

, 2008.

I, MARY COUGHLAN, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3, 13 and 30 of the

Diseases of Animals Act 1966

(No. 6 of 1966) (as adapted by the Agriculture and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2007 (

S.I. No. 705 of 2007

), hereby order as follows—