Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 763: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the current requirements to import sheep from Scotland to here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23407/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Intra-Community trade in sheep is governed by the provisions of Council Directive 2003/50/EC which amends Council Directive 91/68/EEC. These controls apply to breeding sheep whether they are imported or exported and all sheep must be certified with regard to their health status. Under these rules, breeding and fattening sheep must be certified as having been continuously resident on a holding of origin for at least 30 days prior to export including a standstill period of 21 days prior to export during which time no sheep have been introduced on to the holding. A derogation applies where sheep introduced during the standstill period are completely isolated from all other animals on the holding.

Breeding sheep must have been obtained from a holding and must only have been in contact with animals from such a holding in which in the previous 6 months contagious agalactia of sheep, in the previous 12 months paratubercuosis or caseous lymphadenitis, and in the previous 3 years pulmonary adenomatosis or Maedi Visna, have not been clinically diagnosed. Ireland is free from Maedi-Visna (MV). Imports of sheep from Scotland should be accompanied by a supplementary health certificate issued by an official veterinarian providing additional guarantees for freedom from Maedi Visna.

Breeding rams must also come from a holding on which no case of contagious epididymitis (Brucella Ovis) has been recorded in the last 12 months and they must have been kept permanently on the holding for 60 days prior to export. Breeding rams must also be tested for contagious epididymitis (Brucella Ovis) with a negative result, within 30 days prior to export. The rules in relation to scrapie are that all breeding sheep must either be of the ARR/ARR prion protein genotype, or have been kept in a scrapie monitored flock for at least 3 years with no cases of scrapie being confirmed during this period. Sheep for slaughter must be certified as having been continuously resident on the holding of origin for at least 21 days prior to export during which time no sheep have been introduced on to the holding. All sheep for slaughter must be consigned to a slaughterhouse. There are no scrapie requirements on the health certificate for sheep for slaughter.