Independent external review invites information on Fivemiletown Deprivation Order operation - review expected by early Autumn
The independent external reviewer into the Department’s implementation of a court Deprivation Order in Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone has established a dedicated mailbox to receive relevant, verifiable information from members of the public and external parties.
Dr Martin Blake, who is leading the review, is inviting anyone with information relevant to the planning, decision-making or implementation of the operation carried out by DAERA in Fivemiletown on 29 and 30 June 2026 to submit it for consideration.
The operation that was undertaken to comply with a Deprivation Order relating to a herd keeper who had been disqualified from keeping farmed animals.
Information submitted should be relevant to the scope of the independent review, as set out in the published Terms of Reference.
Relevant, verifiable information should be sent to the following email address: [email protected]
Information submitted to the mailbox, including any personal data provided, will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection requirements and used only for the purposes of supporting the review.
Dr Blake was appointed last week by the DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to lead an independent and evidence-based assessment of the planning, decision-making and implementation of the operation.
The review will assess whether the operation was conducted in accordance with the relevant legal framework, departmental procedures and accepted standards of public administration and it will identify lessons to inform future practice.
The findings and recommendations of the review will be published as soon as possible upon completion.
Link to Terms of Reference: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/terms-reference-independent-external-review
It is understood that Dr Martin Blake is a veterinary graduate with a postgraduate Master of Business Administration and has held a number of senior leadership roles within the veterinary and animal health sectors.
As the former Chief Veterinary Officer of Ireland, and member of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Management Board, he held departmental responsibility for animal health, animal welfare, veterinary public health, and related policy areas.
Dr Blake brings significant expertise in policy development, regulation, and regulatory compliance, underpinned by extensive experience in governance oversight and risk assessment.
He has also made substantial contributions at international level, serving as a steering group member of the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (WOAH) Animal Welfare Platform for the Europe region.
In addition, he was a member and Chair of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
The review is expected to be completed by early Autumn.