The Plant Health (Wood and Bark) Order (Northern Ireland) 2006

Authority to issue plant passports

26.—(1) Where a registered forestry trader wishes to issue plant passports in relation to any relevant material to be moved from his premises he shall apply to the Department for the authority to do so.

(2) An application under paragraph (1) shall be in writing, shall give such notice as the Department may reasonably specify to allow them to undertake any necessary examination of the premises to which the application relates and of any relevant material there and shall contain such particulars in relation to the relevant material produced, grown, stored or otherwise present on those premises as the Department may from time to time reasonably require.

(3) The Department shall grant an authority under paragraph (1) only if, having regard to any examination of the premises to which the application relates and of any relevant material there, they are satisfied—

(a) that the premises and relevant material are free from any relevant organisms; and

(b) where any requirements are specified under this Order in relation to the relevant material, those requirements have been complied with.

(4) The Department’s authority to issue plant passports shall be given in writing and may be granted subject to such conditions as they consider appropriate to ensure that the relevant requirements of this Order are complied with, including a condition limiting any territories in which such plant passports shall be valid.

(5) The Department may suspend the operation of an authority to issue plant passports entirely or in relation to specified premises or relevant material if, having regard to any examination of any premises of the registered forestry trader and any relevant material there, they are not satisfied that—

(a) the premises or the relevant material are free from any relevant organisms; or

(b) where any requirements are specified under this Order in relation to the relevant material, those requirements have been complied with.

(6) The Department may suspend the operation of or vary to the extent they consider necessary an authority to issue plant passports if they are satisfied that the registered forestry trader has—

(a) failed to comply with any of the conditions specified in Article 25(1);

(b) failed to notify them in accordance with Article 24(4) of any change in the particulars listed in the register with respect to him; or

(c) failed to comply with a requirement in a notice served on the trader under Article 29; or

(d) failed to comply with any conditions in the authority issued by them under paragraph (4).

(7) For the purposes of this Article “relevant organism” means—

(a) any pest specified in Schedule 1; or

(b) in relation to relevant material of a description specified in Schedule 2, any pest of a description specified in that Schedule opposite the reference to that relevant material.