The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

Appointment of official veterinary surgeons and authorised officers

12.—(1) The Department shall appoint—

(a) suitably trained veterinary surgeons to be official veterinary surgeons;

(b) such appropriately trained assistants for each official veterinary surgeon appointed under sub-paragraph (a),

for any border inspection post authorised to import animals.

(2) A district council shall appoint—

(a) an authorised officer to carry out the regulatory functions in relation to fish and fishery products at each border inspection post in it’s district;

(b) such appropriately trained assistants for each authorised officer appointed under sub-paragraph (a),

if the approval for the border inspection post permits the importation of any product (other than snails) for human consumption listed in Chapter 3 of Annex I to Commission Decision 2007/275/EC.

(3) An authorised officer appointed under paragraph (2) shall have all the powers of an official veterinary surgeon in relation to those products referred to in paragraph (2).

(4) The appointment under paragraph (2) may be made by the Department rather than the district council if the approval for the border inspection post only permits the importation of animal by-products.