Slaughterer

Regulators: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Nations: Northern Ireland
Sectors: Other

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Regulatory authority: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Address: Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Ballymiscaw
Belfast
BT4 3SB
Email address: daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk
Website: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk
Phone number: +44 (0)300 200 7840

Regulation

Regulation summary

EC Regulation 1099/2009 Article 7 - Animal handling, restraint, stunning, assessment of effective stunning, shackling and hoisting of animals, bleeding of live animals and slaughter by religious rites. Certificate of Competence will need to identify the species and the operations that the slaughterer is entitled to carry out as a result of training and examination of competence in these species and operations.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

No information submitted

More about regulated activities and titles: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dard/Chapter%202.3%20Animal%20Welfare%20v3%200321.pdf

Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification: There are three methods of obtaining a Certificate of Competence (CoC):
• holding a Qualification Certificate issued by an awarding body. Currently the only body awarding qualification certificates in Northern Ireland is FDQ.
• through grandfather rights for existing workers
• holding a veterinary qualification, recognised by RCVS, along with suitable RCVS recorded Qualification certificates granted by awarding bodies regulated by Ofqual (currently FDQ).
More about qualification: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dard/Chapter%202.3%20Animal%20Welfare%20v3%200321.pdf

Professionals from other UK nations

Routes to recognition within the UK

Certificates of Competence issued in Great Britain are also valid in Northern Ireland.

Note - WATOK licences (issued in England and Wales only by APHA for on-farm slaughter) are not valid in approved establishments (slaughterhouses).

More about recognition within the UK

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dard/Chapter%202.3%20Animal%20Welfare%20v3%200321.pdf

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK: Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised, but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify
Summary of routes: A Certificate of Competence (CoC) issued in any EU state is valid in Northern Ireland.
More about recognition for professionals outside the UK: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dard/Chapter%202.3%20Animal%20Welfare%20v3%200321.pdf

Registration

Registration requirements

Food business operators in Northern Ireland seeking qualification of their staff in Protecting The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing should contact the Awarding Body FDQ for a list of training & assessment providers. DAERA cannot recommend individual suppliers.

The achievement of this qualification permits individuals working in lairage and slaughter roles to apply for a Certificate of Competence (CoC) issued by DAERA. In Northern Ireland the food business operator liaises with their onsite DAERA Official Veterinarian (OV), and the accompanying application documents are submitted to vphp.post@daera-ni.gov.uk

More about registration