Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 27th August, 2019.

I, MICHAEL CREED, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 36 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 , (No. 15 of 2013), hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Animal Health and Welfare (A.I. Technicians Licence) Regulations 2019.

2. In these Regulations-

“Act of 1947” means the Live Stock (Artificial Insemination) Act 1947 (No. 32 of 1947);

“A.I. technician licence” means a licence granted by the Minister under Regulation 4;

“field service licence” means a licence granted under the European Communities (Bovine Breeding) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 19 of 2009).

3. (1) A person shall not engage in the artificial insemination of a bovine animal unless that person holds-

(a) an A.I. technicians licence issued under these Regulations, or

(b) a licence issued under the Act of 1947 in respect of bovine animals in his or her own herd or a herd specified in the licence.

(2) Where an authorised officer has reasonable cause to suspect that a person is or was engaged in the artificial insemination of a bovine animal to which paragraph (1)(a) applies, the officer may request the person to produce an A.I. technicians licence to the officer for inspection and the person shall produce the licence and permit the officer to inspect it.

4. (1) The Minister may, on application, grant an A.I. technicians licence authorising a person employed by a company holding a field service licence to artificially inseminate bovine animals.

(2) An application for an A.I. technicians licence shall be made in a form and contain such information as the Minister may determine.

(3) An A.I. technicians licence shall be issued for a 5 year period and be subject to such conditions as the Minister may determine.

(4) An A.I. technician’s licence may be revoked by the Minister or shall elapse upon a person ceasing to be employed by a company holding a field service licence.

5. These Regulations are penal provisions to which section 36(4)(a) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 applies.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

12 August 2019.

MICHAEL CREED

Minister for Agriculture, Food and The Marine

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations provide for the licensing of AI Technicians.