UFU President John McLenaghan.
Following the announcement of the external review of DAERA’s enforcement operation near Fivemiletown, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has called again on DAERA to appoint additional independent panel members.
Dr Martin Blake, former Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland, has been appointed to carry out the review, which will assess whether the operation was conducted in accordance with the relevant legal framework, departmental procedures and accepted standards of public administration, while identifying lessons to inform future practice.
UFU president, John McLenaghan, said, “Dr Blake brings significant experience and expertise to the review as a former Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland and the UFU has no reason to question either his integrity or his ability to undertake this work. However, given the scale and complexity of the incident, we remain of the view that it is difficult for any one person to undertake a review of this nature in a way that is completely independent.
“From the outset, the UFU called for a panel of experts, an approach that has been facilitated by DAERA in previous cases. Whether through legal and animal welfare representation, practical farming experience or other independent voices, a panel would provide greater balance, fairness and confidence in the process.
“For the UFU, independence is about more than simply being independent of DAERA. It is also about ensuring the review draws on the expertise of a broader panel who are independent of the types of roles, systems and enforcement operations that are being examined and who can look at the entire process in the round.”
The UFU’s position on the Terms of Reference will be considered further by its Animal Health and Welfare Committee and Executive in the coming days.
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