Registering as a Professional Operator
- Foilsithe: 9 Nollaig 2020
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 28 Feabhra 2024
- Registering as a Professional Operator
- What do I do if I need to update my registration details?
- Role and Responsibilities of a Professional Operator
Registering as a Professional Operator
1. Who needs to Register as a Professional Operator?
All professional operators are required to register with DAFM. Therefore, if you are involved professionally in one or more of the following activities concerning plants, plant products and other objects you need to register with DAFM:
• planting
• breeding
• production, including growing, multiplying and maintaining
• introduction into, and movement within and out of the EU territory
• making available on the market
• storage, procession, dispatching and processing
Professional Operators include:
| • Nurseries | • Christmas tree growers |
| • Garden Centres | • Retailer / Co-op involved in the sale of plants without distribution centre |
| • Importers of plants and plant products | • Retailer / Co-op involved in the sale of plants with distribution centre(s) |
| • Exporters of plants and plant products | • Cut foliage producer/grower |
| • Customs Agent / Operator Responsible for the Consignment | • Turf grass producer/grower |
| • Multiple Store that trades in plants | • Fruit producer/grower |
| • Landscaper/Landscape Architect | • Vegetable producer/grower |
| • County Council/Local Authority | • Seed producers including seed potatoes |
| • Internet traders of plant and plant products | • Involved in the movement of consignments of plants and plant products from third countries |
2. Professional Operator Registration Form
To register as a Professional Operator, complete the ‘Professional Operator Registration Form’.
2. a) -Relevant to Importers/Exporters of plant products
If you are registering as an Importer or Exporter of plants or plant products you are also required to complete one of the Corporate Client System (CCS) forms below (whichever is applicable – customer/individual or company). This information is required to register importers and exporters on the Department’s Financial Accounting System.
Completed forms should be returned by email to: plantandpests@agriculture.gov.ie or post to:
Horticulture and Plant Health Division
- Seoladh:
- Horticulture and Plant Health Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Floor 2 Block 3, Backweston Administration Building, Backweston Campus, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, W23 X3PH
3. Provision of a Plant Health Registration (PHR) Number
On completion of the registration process, the professional operator will receive a letter with a unique Plant Health Registration Number (PHR No.). This unique Plant Health Registration number will be used to identify the registered Professional Operator and should be used in all correspondence with the Department. The format of the PHR Number is IE00xxxx.
Authorisation to issue Plant Passports
Under Article 89 of the EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031/EU, if you sell plants to other professional operators, sell plants online or sell Protected Zone plants you will also need to apply to be authorised to issue plant passports.
This is a multi-step process – find out more here plant passports.
What do I do if I need to update my registration details?
To update any of the details provided on your registration form, please provide updated details to the Department by email to: plantandpests@agriculture.gov.ie or by post to:
Horticulture and Plant Health Division
- Seoladh:
- Horticulture and Plant Health Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Floor 2 Block 3, Backweston Administration Building, Backweston Campus, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, W23 X3PH
All Professional Operators are reminded that under EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031/EU (Article 66) if the name, address or contact person for the Professional Operator changes, the Department must be notified within 30 days of the change.
Role and Responsibilities of a Professional Operator
• Professional operators must maintain records for plants supplied by them to other professional operators and for plants supplied by other professional operators to them for at least 3 years.
• Professional operators should also have in place systems and procedures to allow identification of the movements of plants, plant products and other objects within and between their own premises.
• Ensure that all plants for planting have a Plant Passport when moved between professional operator to professional operator.
• Each professional operator must provide a contact person on their forms who is available to liaise with the Department.
• From time to time, the Department issues Plant Health Trader Notices to Professional Operators. These notices are issued by email, or by post in the case of an email address not being provided. Professional Operators should familiarise themselves with all the Trader Notices available here