A CONSULTATION is underway to examine the potential for mandating the use of CCTV in all slaughterhouses in operation in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Executive has confirmed it is reviewing the proposals through the consultation led by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir.
“I am pleased to launch a public consultation on mandatory CCTV coverage in slaughterhouses in Northern Ireland,” Minister Muir said this week.
CCTV is already mandatory in abbatoirs in England, Scotland and Wales“Animal welfare is one of my top priorities and this proposal would bring Northern Ireland into parity with the rest of the UK, supporting my commitment to closing legislative deficits.”
Legislation passed in 2018 saw CCTV made mandatory in slaughterhouse in England.
The same rules came into effect in Scotland in 2021 and in Wales in 2024.
“I am aware that slaughterhouses in Northern Ireland operate to a very high standard, and nearly all have CCTV coverage in place,” Mr Muir added.
“This proposal will supplement those high standards through three key aims; enhancing coverage by making CCTV mandatory in unloading, handling, lairage, stunning and the kill areas of the slaughterhouses; allowing unrestricted access to the CCTV recordings for officials; and requirement that all recordings are kept for 90 days.”
The consultation on May 20, 2025, and DAERA has called for "interested parties" to have their say.
"Whilst the Department recognises that the vast majority of industry will already meet the proposed requirements, the regulations, if introduced, will ensure that there is parity across all slaughterhouses, a DAERA spokeperson added.
