Agriculture Minister challenged on veterinary certificates for racing pigeons

Mr Allister said he has written to Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots raising the “absurdity and unacceptability” of veterinary certificates being required to bring racing pigeon stock from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

He stated: “Due to the sea border, which DAERA oversees and operates, if young stock, or any pigeons, are bought in GB then a veterinary certificate has to be obtained and paid for by the vendor (but cost passed on to the purchaser) before the pigeons from any loft can be sent to Northern Ireland.”

Mr Allister continued: “Here we have another example of the Protocol not just adding unnecessary bureaucracy to Northern Ireland consumers, but also significant cost.

“I have challenged the minister as to why his department is continuing to require this imposition,” he ended.