The news this week that a resolution is close to being found in relation to live exports of store and breeding cattle to Northern Ireland is a relief to marts and farmers, especially in the northwest and border region.

Almost 4,000 fewer cattle have been exported to Northern Ireland since the beginning of the year.

The ban on exports also raises the question around an all-Ireland health policy and more aligned policy in relation to dealing with animal disease.

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While both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s aims in relation to keeping animals healthy and disease free are similar, many of the testing regimes and how we manage disease is different between ROI and NI.

As an island nation, using the sea as an animal health border could have a lot of merits and avoid instances of disease in the future.