Volume 9: Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Part 3: Northern Ireland
13. Statutory framework and responsibilities
Legislation on animal health

13.8 The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland (DANI) ¹ was responsible for the control of animal disease under the Diseases of Animals Order (NI) 1981. This Order empowered DANI to prohibit the sale or use of any kind of fodder or litter by which disease might be spread; to make diseases notifiable; to introduce slaughter and compensation schemes; and to prohibit or regulate the movement of animals or poultry, and the removal of carcasses. ² Most of the secondary legislation made in response to BSE was introduced under this Order. Under the Agriculture Act 1970 (which had application throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland), DANI was empowered to make Regulations to control the composition or content of fertilisers and feedstuffs, ³ but was required to consult with interested and affected parties beforehand. ⁴ In addition to control of disease and feedstuffs, DANI was responsible for regulating the primary processing of meat at slaughterhouses under the Slaughterhouses Act (NI) 1953 and the Agricultural Produce (Meat Regulation and Pig Industry) Act (NI) 1962.