Mr Donnelly pleaded guilty and was fined £600 plus £37 costs.
Notes to Editors:
1. Mr Donnelly was convicted of one charge of being the keeper of bovine animals, in contravention of Article 7.1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 and Article 6.3 of Commission Regulation (EC)No 2629/97, of failing to notify the Department of Agriculture and Rural development of the movement of bovine animals off his holding in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 7 of the Cattle Identification (Notifications of Births, Deaths and Movements) Regulations(NI) 1999, contrary to Regulation 5(1) of the said Regulations.
2. Mr Donnelly was also convicted of one charge for failing to give to an officer of the department acting in the due execution of his duties under the Cattle Identification (Enforcement) Regulations (NI) 1998, any assistance or information which the officer reasonably required from him in that he failed to produce the herd book for his herd when requested to do so, contrary to Regulation 6(1)(b) of the said regulations.
3. Mr Donnelly was also convicted of one charge for failing to keep a herd register as required by Regulation 3(4) of the Cattle Identification (Enforcement) Regulations (NI) 1998 in accordance with the form set out in the schedule to the said regulations, contrary to Regulation 3(1) of the said regulations.
4. Mr Donnelly was also convicted of one charge for failing to produce a record when required to do so to any person acting in the execution of his duties under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 in contravention of Regulation 36(d) of the said regulations, contrary to Regulation 42 of the said regulations.
5. Properly maintained herd registers form an integral part of animal traceability, supporting the accuracy and integrity of the Department’s Animal & Public Health Information System (APHIS) database.
6. Cattle movements, notified to the department, are recorded on to the APHIS database. The provision, within statutory time limits or upon request, of complete, accurate and timely information concerning cattle in a herd, to the department, is fundamental to the credibility and integrity of the APHIS computerised system.
7. Breaches of these regulations weaken and undermine food animal traceability in Northern Ireland.
8. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
