Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will make some points and ask some questions. I ask that the officials please send me written answers if they are unable to answer them today.

The officials referred to a secure electronic prescribing system and mentioned farmer choice. Did the farmers look for the system to be changed? It is very disingenuous to suggest they did. I raised this directly with the Taoiseach in the Dáil and his view was that we do not want a cliff-edge scenario where thousands of jobs in rural Ireland are lost unnecessarily. I do not remember any farmer or group of farmers seeking change in the current system.

The regulation was passed by the 27 permanent representatives to iron out any major difficulties and obstacles. At that stage the derogation clause was drafted, scrutinised and agreed with Ireland, joining others to support the inclusion of the derogation. This action proves that Ireland needed to avail of the derogation to enshrine the responsible persons in future prescribing. Why is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine reneging on all that work and adopting the opposite view in light of the fact that the chief veterinary officer and the HPRA recommended a multi-stakeholder approach to address resistance?

The Department will be aware that in 2010 a new class of wormer was launched as vet prescription-only for sheep with nil resistance. Within four years of vet control the first case of resistance was recorded in New Zealand, and in 2018 in the UK. Despite this, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine wants to make vets the only prescribers of wormers in Ireland. The officials mentioned the other system, about which I also have questions. I would like a response on that.

On the secure electronic prescribing system, it is outrageous to recommend such an approach and not be able to give any cost. Did no cost-benefit analysis take place? Is the Department not concerned about wasting money unnecessarily?

This looks as though it is simply about putting all control in vets' hands. No matter how it is dressed up, farmers did not look for a change to the system.