PART I INTRODUCTION

1 Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Bluetongue Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 21st July 2008.

2 Interpretation
1 In these Regulations—
“animal” means a ruminating animal (and for the purposes of these Regulations all camelids are considered to be ruminating animals), and “carcase”, “embryo”, “ovum” and “semen” mean the carcase, embryo, ovum and semen of such an animal;
“confirmation of the disease” means a declaration by the Department that the bluetongue virus is circulating in a specific area;
“control zone” means a zone referred to in regulation 9;
“the Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development;
“the Directive” means Commission Directive 2000/75/EC laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue;
“the Regulation” means Commission Regulation 1266/2007 on implementing rules for Council Directive 2000/75/EC as regards the control, monitoring, surveillance and restrictions on movements of certain animals of susceptible species in relation to bluetongue;
“the disease” means bluetongue;
“diseased” means affected with the disease;
“Divisional Veterinary Officer” means a Divisional Veterinary Officer of the Department appointed for the time being by the Department to receive information about animals or carcases diseased or suspected of being diseased for the area in which such animals or carcases are situated;
“infected premises” means premises on which the existence of bluetongue has been confirmed;
“inspector” means an inspector appointed as such by the Department for the purpose of these Regulations and, unless the context otherwise requires, includes a veterinary inspector;
“keeper” means any natural or legal person having ownership of, or charged with keeping animals, whether or not for financial reward;
“midge” means an insect of the genus Culicoides;
“premises” includes any place;
“sentinel animal” means an animal that does not have antibodies to the bluetongue virus when first introduced or retained at the premises and is used for surveillance for the bluetongue virus;
“vaccine” means vaccine against bluetongue virus; and
“veterinary inspector” means a person appointed as such by the Department for the purposes of these Regulations.
2 Any authorisation, licence, notice or direction under these Regulations must be in writing, may be subject to conditions and may be amended, suspended or revoked by notice in writing at any time.
3 The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
1954 c.33 (NI)

3 Exemptions
These Regulations do not apply to—
(a) the bluetongue virus possessed under a licence issued under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (Northern Ireland) 1999;
S. R. 1999 No.434
(b) administration of a vaccine for research purposes in accordance with an animal test certificate granted under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2007
S.I. 2007/2539