Nine cases of alleged fraud relating to claims for compensation for foot-and-mouth disease have been referred to the North's Director of Public Prosecutions and more may follow.
The North's Agriculture Minister, Ms Brid Rodgers, told the Assembly's agriculture committee yesterday that her officials had begun legal proceedings in nine cases where no sheep were found during foot-and-mouth culls earlier this year.
There were investigations into a further eight cases where no sheep could be found.
"Of the 89 farmers with some sheep but fewer than claimed, 57 have responded with explanations, and these are now being considered", Ms Rodgers said. "The remaining 32 have not responded - suggesting that they accept the penalties applied. In the 17 cases where no sheep were identified, the farmers have been subject to investigation with a view to prosecution."
The Minister said that her Department would maintain its ban on livestock imports from Britain in the wake of the recent outbreaks of the disease in Northumberland.
Meanwhile, a renewed warning about the continuing threat posed by foot-and-mouth disease to the Republic was issued yesterday by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
The re-emergence of the disease in areas where there had not been any confirmed outbreaks for a considerable time was a particular worry, the Minister added.