DAERA has apologised to a vet who won a constructive dismissal case after ‘serious animal welfare concerns’ she raised were met with hostility.
Dr Tamara Bronckaers’ landmark victory against the Stormont department in September was followed by their appeal.
But in a marked U-turn, the department dropped the taxpayer funded case and has now commissioned an internal review on the issues raised by Dr Bronckaers.
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The whistleblower had worked for DAERA for 19 years and during the course of her career said she found breaches of animal welfare at livestock markets as well as failings in the way cattle movements were recorded.
Dr Bronckaers claimed these issues could impact the traceability of meat as well as the spread of devastating diseases like bovine TB.
She said at the time: “Animal welfare was a major concern for me and I witnessed first-hand animals suffering unnecessarily - in one livestock market, there were overloaded and unclean pens, lame sheep and cattle, and animals being left overnight without food or water.”
A Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson told the Mirror: “The Department unreservedly apologises to Dr Tamara Bronckaers.
“The Department has now agreed a settlement in principle between the parties, subject to detailed terms being drawn up, and as a result, we have formally withdrawn the appeal.”
We asked if any of the issues Dr Bronckaers raised have been escalated or investigated.
They added: “The Department takes the protection of those raising a concern extremely seriously and has commissioned an internal review into this matter and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
“This review will be completed as soon as possible.
“The Department has already completed an internal audit, focused on the robustness of the current controls for animal traceability in livestock markets and abattoirs and issues raised by Dr Bronckaers.
“That audit made a number of recommendations which are now being implemented with urgency.
“Maintaining high standards in animal traceability and associated disease risk is of the utmost importance and the Department remains confident that traceability and public health has never been at risk.”
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