Statement by Robin Swann MP South Antrim -

[willie reynolds]

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𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called on the UK and Northern Ireland governments to urgently address the bureaucratic barriers impacting the movement of pigeons between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr Swann has written to both the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to highlight what he described as an “anomaly” facing local pigeon fanciers.

Under current post-Brexit rules, pigeons can be transported freely from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, but anyone bringing pigeons, mostly breeding birds, back from Great Britain to Northern Ireland must obtain a veterinary health certificate for each bird, signed by one of only a small number of certified vets.

Mr Swann said:
“This added red tape is causing unnecessary expense and inconvenience. It also makes little practical sense. These are healthy, traceable birds, and yet fanciers must go through a time-consuming and expensive process just to bring them home, all while the same birds can fly back across the Irish Sea without any restrictions at all.
“It’s absurd that racing pigeons can fly freely between Great Britain, Ireland and Northern Ireland, but can’t be transported without paperwork.”

Mr Swann said he welcomed the Minister Muir’s offer of a departmental meeting but stressed that the issue ultimately lies with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in Westminster, which oversees animal movement under the Windsor Framework.
“I will continue to press DEFRA to find a proportionate solution. This is yet another example of how the current post-Brexit arrangements have created needless complexity in everyday life. We should be making it easier, not harder, for responsible pigeon fanciers to continue their sport.”