Fivemiletown cattle review to examine alternatives considered by DAERA

Cattle that were shot by DAERA official lying in a County Fermanagh field; inset, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir

Former Irish Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Martin Blake will independently examine DAERA’s planning, decision-making and handling of the controversial operation which saw 51 cattle destroyed near Fivemiletown in June.

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has published the terms of reference for an independent external review into his department’s implementation of a court Deprivation Order at a farm near Fivemiletown, County Tyrone.

The review will scrutinise the decisions taken before and during the operation on 29 and 30 June 2026, including what alternatives were considered, how animal welfare and safety were assessed, and whether DAERA’s actions complied with the law and its own procedures.

Dr Martin Blake, a former Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland, has been appointed to lead the review, which DAERA expects to be completed by early autumn, or sooner if possible.

Significantly, the review will not be limited to departmental evidence. Members of the public who have evidence about what happened during the operation will be able to submit it directly to Dr Blake, while elected representatives, individuals and stakeholder organisations can also provide evidence.

Why the review was ordered

The operation followed a court case on 8 June in which a herd keeper was given a lifetime disqualification from keeping farmed animals. The court also granted a Deprivation Order following convictions relating to animal welfare and associated offences.

The herd keeper was subsequently given an opportunity to sell or otherwise dispose of the animals.

DAERA previously confirmed that 51 cattle remained when the department moved to enforce the order, with 50 animals destroyed on 29 June and the remaining animal on 30 June.

Under Section 32(9) of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, disposing of an animal under a Deprivation Order can include destroying it.

However, the manner in which the operation was planned and carried out generated significant public, political and media concern, including questions over whether alternatives to destroying the animals had been exhausted.

Minister Muir has now commissioned the external review to examine those issues and establish whether lessons need to be learned.

‘Complex, sensitive and distressing’

Announcing the appointment on Wednesday, 12 August, Minister Muir said:

“The operation undertaken in Fivemiletown to comply with a Deprivation Order in relation to a herd keeper disqualified from keeping animals was a particularly complex, sensitive and distressing case, understandably attracting significant attention and concern.

“Acknowledging the concerns expressed, the complexities of the case and an ongoing commitment to openness and transparency, I have decided that an independent external review should be carried out. I am confident Dr Blake has the experience and knowledge to lead this exercise.

“The purpose of this review is to provide an independent and evidence-based assessment of my department’s planning, decision-making and implementation of the operation undertaken on 29th and 30th of June 2026.

“The review will assess whether the operation was conducted in accordance with the relevant legal framework, departmental procedures and accepted standards of public administration and it will identify lessons to inform future practice.

“I am determined this review will be thorough but not prolonged, so that any learning can be identified and implemented quickly.”

Who is Dr Martin Blake?

Dr Blake is a veterinary graduate with a postgraduate Master of Business Administration and has held a number of senior leadership positions across the veterinary and animal health sectors.

As Ireland’s former Chief Veterinary Officer and a member of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Management Board, his responsibilities included animal health and welfare, veterinary public health and related policy.

His experience also covers governance, regulatory compliance and risk assessment.

Internationally, Dr Blake served on the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Animal Welfare Platform for Europe and was a member and Chair of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

He is also a former member of the Veterinary Council of Ireland.

What exactly will the independent review examine?

The published terms of reference give Dr Blake a broad remit to examine not simply what happened on the two days of the operation, but how DAERA reached its decisions and whether different approaches could have been taken.

• Governance and decision-making

The review will examine the governance, oversight and decision-making arrangements behind the operation and assess whether they were appropriate.

This includes scrutiny of the decisions which ultimately informed how the Deprivation Order was implemented.

• Alternative approaches

Dr Blake will examine the alternative operational approaches considered by DAERA before the intervention.

This is likely to be one of the most closely watched elements of the review following public and political questions about whether other options were available for the remaining cattle.

• Planning and risk

The review will assess DAERA’s operational planning, risk assessments and preparations, together with the way the intervention was ultimately delivered.

It will also examine dynamic decision-making during the operation — in other words, decisions taken by officials as circumstances developed on 29 and 30 June.

• Animal welfare and safety

The reviewer will assess whether DAERA appropriately balanced five central considerations:

• its legal obligations;

• animal welfare;

• operational practicality;

• staff safety; and

• public safety.

Animal welfare considerations and the arrangements put in place to protect staff and members of the public will also be examined separately.

• Legal and procedural compliance

Dr Blake will assess whether the operation complied with the relevant legislation, the court order, departmental procedures and accepted standards of public administration.

• Communications and public confidence

The review will consider DAERA’s communications and engagement with stakeholders, as well as how reputational risks surrounding the operation were managed.

What evidence can the reviewer see?

Dr Blake will have full access to all relevant information held by DAERA, including:

• relevant legislation and court orders;

• departmental policies and operational guidance;

• records associated with the operation;

• operational plans and risk assessments;

• briefing material and other records;

• evidence submitted by elected representatives, individuals and stakeholder organisations; and

• media coverage and public commentary surrounding DAERA’s actions.

He will be facilitated to interview any departmental officials he considers necessary to establish what actions were taken and why.

Dr Blake will also be able to interview external parties he believes can assist the review, where those people are willing to provide information.

Public evidence can be submitted

Members of the public who have evidence about what occurred during the operation on 29 and 30 June will be able to submit it directly to the independent reviewer.

A dedicated email account will be established by Dr Blake and its details communicated separately.

The reviewer can also consider relevant good practice and comparable approaches used elsewhere when reaching his conclusions and recommendations.

What will the final report contain?

Dr Blake’s report is expected to:

• summarise the evidence considered;

• make findings against each of the review’s objectives;

• identify examples of good practice;

• identify areas requiring improvement;

• independently assess the adequacy of DAERA’s governance, decision-making and operational delivery; and

• recommend changes for future Deprivation Order operations.

DAERA says the exercise should be targeted and proportionate but thorough, with the department expecting it to be completed by early autumn, or sooner if possible.

The report will be submitted to the department. Subject to legal, data protection and other relevant considerations, both the independent report and DAERA’s response will be published in the interests of transparency and public confidence.

They will also be provided to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Assembly’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.

The full Terms of Reference are available here.