Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the new restrictions on the movement of breeding ewes and hoggets from here to Northern Ireland across the Border; and the effects of these restrictions on livestock marts and breeders here. [38425/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No new requirements have been introduced to the movement of sheep in intra community trade. 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.

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. 

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.

Under EU Regulation 630/2013 all flocks participating in the Scrapie Monitored Scheme have to be classified as “controlled risk” or “negligible risk”.  A holding may be recognized as having a controlled risk for classical scrapie provided it has complied with the conditions specified in the Regulation for at least 3 years.  Achieving the negligible risk status will be a continuation of the controlled risk status for an increased period of time.

Only animals from holdings with a higher status may be introduced into the holding and at a minimum, they must come from holdings of at least the same status.  Animals may also be traded to holdings of at least the same or lower status both within Ireland and to other Member States.

Most of the current members of the Scrapie Monitored Scheme have automatically achieved controlled risk status.