No. 32/1947:

LIVE STOCK (ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION) ACT, 1947

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1 Definitions.

2 Animals to which this Act applies.

3 Regulations for control of artificial insemination.

4 Export of semen.

5 Import of semen.

6 Exemption for semen imported in transit.

7 Licences.

8 Powers of authorised officers.

9 Offences.

10 Laying of regulations before Oireachtas.

11 Expenses.

12 Short title.

AN ACT FOR THE CONTROL OF THE PRACTICE OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, SWINE AND HORSES.

[2nd December, 1947.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:—

1.—In this Act—

the expression "authorised officer" means a person appointed by the Minister to be an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act; licence.

the word "licence" means a licence under section 7 of this Act;

the expression "the Minister" means the Minister for Agriculture.

2.—This Act applies to cattle, sheep, goats, swine and horses.

3.—(1) The Minister may make regulations for controlling the practice of artificial insemination of animals to which this Act applies and, in particular, for prohibiting the distribution and sale of the semen of animals to which this Act applies except under and in accordance with a licence.

(2) Regulations under this section may be made to apply to all or any of the animals to which this Act applies.

4.—No person shall export the semen of an animal to which this Act applies except under and in accordance with a licence.

5.—No person shall import the semen of an animal to which this Act applies except under and in accordance with a licence.

6.—Sections 4 and 5 of this Act do not apply to semen imported for the purpose only of transit and consequent exportation.

7.—(1) The Minister may issue licences for the purposes of this Act.

(2) The Minister may attach such conditions as he thinks fit to a licence.

(3) The Minister may at any time revoke a licence.

8.—(1) An authorised officer may enter at all reasonable times—

( a ) premises occupied by the holder of a licence and used for or in connection with any of the purposes authorised by the licence,

( b ) premises at which artificial insemination of animals to which this Act applies is practised,

( c ) premises on which, or in connection with which, he has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a contravention of this Act is being or has been committed.

(2) An authorised officer may inspect premises to which subsection (1) of this section relates and animals and articles thereon and carry out such tests or other investigations as he thinks fit in order to ascertain if this Act and the regulations under it, and the conditions of any licence, are being complied with, and may, for the purposes of any such test or investigation, require the occupier of the premises to give such facilities, assistance and information as it is in his power to give.

(3) The holder of a licence shall, at the request of an authorised officer, produce his licence for inspection by that officer.

9.—If any person contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this Act or of regulations made under it or with any condition subject to which a licence is issued, or obstructs any person in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by this Act or refuses to give to any such person any facilities, assistance or information which he is required to give, he shall, in addition to any other penalty to which he may be liable, be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months either in lieu of or in addition to such fine.

10.—Every regulation made under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution is passed by either House within the next twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it annulling the regulation, the regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

11.—The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

12.—This Act way be cited as the Live Stock (Artificial Insemination) Act, 1947 .