Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In most instances this concern will arise where there is an inspection on a farm regarding cross-compliance or single farm payment or whatever. Where the authorised officer who is inspecting sees something in a herd that suggests there may be a significant disease problem, the legislation enables that officer to act on that. That is a practical and likely scenario. If an authorised officer finds evidence of disease in a herd, that is likely to happen when they are looking for something else. Undoubtedly, in terms of the assessment of that disease, one would need a veterinary practitioner to go to the farm to make an assessment as to what it is, how we should respond to it, how we should support the farmer to deal with it, how we should confine it and so on. There is a requirement under the veterinary practitioners Acts to do that in terms of stopping the movements of animals and all the other things we have to do when we are trying to deal with a disease outbreak.

I shall give another example, namely, an agricultural inspector that does not, lest we forget, have training on farming, farm practices and all of the basics of animal husbandry. If he or she, during the course of a farm inspection, discusses with the farmer that there is a visible disease outbreak in the herd then he or she should be allowed to act on same as the authorised officer. In terms of follow-up, there will need to be a proper veterinary assessment made to determine the appropriate response. The provision is about the practicality of inspections and the interaction between inspectors and farmers which, for the most part, tries to support farmers in what they are doing and to give advice if needed. I understand what the Deputy is getting at.

With regard to the power of an authorised officer to undertake their power as an authorised officer, it states in section 38(4):

Where an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that-
(a)there is a risk of disease,
(b)a disease agent is or may be present on any land or premises.

I want them to have the power to go along with that work and that is what we are examining.