ECNI Address Equine Issues with Minister for Agriculture
The Equine Council for Northern Ireland has issued the following statement following their meeting with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle O’Neill MLA:-
A delegation from The Equine Council for Northern Ireland (ECNI) met with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle O’Neill MLA at Parliament Buildings on Monday to discuss issues currently affecting the equine sector in Northern Ireland. ECNI stressed the need to ensure that the reputation of the equine sector here is upheld and the important role that equine passports have in that process. Discussions on the need for a review of the equine passport system, which DARD had already agreed to in January following ECNI’s recommendation, centred around ensuring that the system is both fit for purpose and adequately enforced at local level. The review process will now be accelerated ECNI and DARD have agreed to work together to resolve this issue and also to consult with Horse Sport Ireland and the Department of Agriculture in the Republic of Ireland. In addition to ensuring that all horses have the correct identification documents, there is a need for a database to identify the location of equines for health and welfare purposes and ECNI would welcome such a system. A publicity campaign reminding horse owners of their responsibility to ensure all equines are correctly identified will commence shortly.
The decision by Oakdale Meats in Lurgan to cease its equine slaughter facility was also discussed. It is understood that this decision was made on a commercial basis but ECNI feel that this represents the loss of an important service which will have a knock-on effect on the welfare of horses in Northern Ireland by forcing their movement to either the Republic of Ireland or other parts of the UK. It is hoped that this service will resume in the future and ECNI would be in support of such a move.
ECNI are also engaging with local councils to review the system of equine welfare inspections which commenced in April 2012. Concerns centre around the need for equine specific inspectors to ensure that the specialised needs of horses and ponies can be met where there is a welfare problem.
The equine industry is a vital part of the Northern Irish economy and contributes a great deal in terms of financial benefits and much needed jobs in rural areas. It is vital that the industry maintains its high standards and also has the capabilities to deal with issues affecting equine health or welfare in a timely and effective manner.
