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

I thank the speakers for coming in. I take up the point Senator Paul Daly made on the Veterinary Ireland claim in its submission that the use of medicines to attract other sales of non-medicinal products has led to the establishment of antiparasitic resistance. The language there is quite accusatory and divisive and I am concerned. It is not true because earlier in the submission, it is stated that the development of resistance is an evolving process which increases every time these types of medicines are use. I would like to get the witnesses' response on this. I feel it is unnecessarily divisive and the tone is wrong.

There is acceptance among stakeholders that these veterinary medicines will need to become prescription medicines and that addressing resistance is an absolute priority but the HPRA and the chief veterinary officer insist on a multi-stakeholder approach. Will Veterinary Ireland engage to create a specifically focused prescription that all parties can issue, which would be a way of ensuring a multi-stakeholder approach? I hope that happens and we do not have a situation where a monopoly is set up and other businesses cut. If we have cuts in rural Ireland in terms of businesses, there will be job losses in areas that cannot afford to lose any more jobs.