Members of the Stormont Agriculture committee have raised no objections to new legislation which will make it compulsory for all abattoirs in NI to have CCTV in place.

The regulations are due to come into operation on 5 May 2026, with slaughterhouses given six months to fully comply.

From that date onwards, business operators must have CCTV that is capable of providing a “complete and clear image of killing and related operations in all areas of the slaughterhouse where live animals are present”.

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The requirement stems from a 2015 report by an independent advisory body established by government, known as the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, which suggested that CCTV would serve as a deterrent for any animal mistreatment.

Since that recommendation, England introduced legislation in 2018. Scotland followed in 2021 and Wales implemented similar regulations in 2024. Within the EU, only Spain has similar rules.

Standards

Briefing the Agriculture committee last Thursday, Neal Gartland from DAERA, said 15 of the 20 licenced abattoirs in NI already have full CCTV coverage in place, mainly in response to requests from retailers and assurance schemes.

However, there are no minimum standards and no legal right of access to footage by official vets.

“Introducing mandatory CCTV will strengthen enforcement capability, improve consistency across premises, and reinforce public confidence in the human treatment of animals throughout the slaughter process,” he said.