The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, read with the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 No. 1115 (N.I. 22) (“the Order”) partially transpose for Northern Ireland Council Directive 2003/85/EC on Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease repealing Directive 85/511/EEC and Decisions 89/531/EEC and 91/665/EEC and amending Directive 92/46/EEC (O.J. No. L306, 22.11.2003, p1). The other measures transposing the Directive in Northern Ireland are the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Control of Vaccination) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. No. 43) and the Diseases of Animals (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.(S.R. No. 41).

The Regulations transpose the Directive except insofar as it deals with vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease (“the disease”).

Part I of the Regulations contain introductory and interpretation provisions.

Part II makes provision for notification, suspicion and investigation of the disease.

Regulations 8 and 9 provide for notification of the disease or suspicion of it. Schedule 1 contains the restrictions which apply in relation to premises under suspicion.

Regulation 10 relates to animals in transit which are known or suspected of infection or contamination with the disease.

Regulation 11 provides for veterinary investigation into the disease. Consequent on that investigation, regulation 12 allows parts of premises to be declared as separate production units, which has the effect of excusing those parts from some of the restrictions in Schedule 1. Also consequent on the investigation, regulation 13 requires the Department to trace the possible spread of disease and to impose the restrictions in Schedule 1 on further premises. The restrictions in Schedule 1 are maintained in relation to premises where infection with the disease is found (regulation 14).

Regulations 15 to 17 provide for the declaration of a temporary control zone on suspicion of the disease and for the measures applying within that zone. Regulations 18 and 19 provide for the declaration of a further zone supplementary to a temporary control zone (a supplementary movement control zone) and the measures applying there.

Part II sets out the measures applying following confirmation of the disease.

Regulation 20 requires the Department to trace items from infected premises which may spread disease and provides for their treatment or disposal. The Regulations impose a duty on the Department to slaughter animals on infected premises to prevent the spread of the disease (paragraph 3A of Part I of Schedule 2 to “the Order”). Regulations 21 to 28 provide for the circumstances relating to such slaughter, including the place of slaughter (regulation 23), movement and disposal of carcases and faecal material (respectively regulations 24 and 25), isolation of things which may spread the disease until they have been certified as free of contamination, treated or disposed of (regulation 26), cleansing and disinfection of the premises (regulations 27 and 28 and Schedule 3).

Regulations 29 to 31 provide for the declaration of protection and surveillance zones around infected premises. Regulation 32 and Schedule 5 set out the measures which apply in those zones. Regulation 33 requires the Department to investigate every premises keeping susceptible animals in such a zone. Regulation 34 sets out the circumstances in which protection and surveillance zones may be terminated.

Regulation 35 provides for the declaration of a restricted zone on confirmation of the disease; regulation 36 and Schedule 7 provide for the measures applying there.

Regulation 37 provides for the declaration of a wild animal infected zone on confirmation of the disease in a wild animal; regulation 38 and Schedule 8 provide for the measures applying there.

Part IV makes general and supplementary provisions.

Regulation 39 applies after specified movements and requires licences to be produced before animals are unloaded and that those licences are forwarded to the local authority.

Regulation 40 requires the Department to take steps to prevent spread of the disease to premises keeping animals of special value (such as rare breeds).

Regulation 41 requires the Department to erect signs indicating the perimeters of zones declared under the Regulations.

Regulation 42 sets out the method to be used when cleansing and disinfecting vehicles transporting susceptible animals. Regulation 43 requires occupiers to provide facilities, equipment and materials where cleansing and disinfection of vehicles is required on their premises.

Regulation 47 and Schedule 4 deal with restocking of premises.

Regulation 48 makes provision to maintain marks applied under the Regulations.

Regulation 49 provides for the feeding and tending of animals or poultry which cannot be moved on termination of a right of occupation because of a restriction imposed by the Regulations.

Regulations 51 to 54 and 58 to 60 make provision related to offences and enforcement.

Regulation 55 confers power on an inspector appointed by the Department to prohibit access to land or buildings in a protection zone.

Regulation 56 confers general powers on veterinary inspectors to take action to prevent spread of the disease.

Regulation 61 makes consequential amendments to other statutory rules.

Regulation 62 revokes the statutory rules in Schedule 9.