Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Dr. Murphy and Dr. Beechinor to this evening's meeting. May I ask about the packaging pertaining to the products? I have noticed in recent weeks that there has been a major change in packaging among some suppliers. I think they have moved ahead of the regulations and have begun doing packaging. Has the packaging been agreed by the witnesses? Is it a project they have been aware about, that the packaging has moved forward before the legislation?

Regarding food safety and the anti-parasitic drugs being used and the two-tier system we have on the island due to Northern Ireland regulations and southern Ireland regulations, I ask the witnesses to comment on the fact we have major quantities of food or product moving from the North to South which have different regimes regarding anti-parasitic drugs. How will that affect our food product going forward?

Large quantities of milk come South and large numbers of live animals go North. I am not too concerned about the large numbers of live animals going North but rather about the large quantities of milk coming South. They are under a different regime regarding how they deal with the parasitic issue even though we are on the same island. How will that impact on food safety issues? Will there be issues regarding licensing and the all-island approach to food? Will the witnesses comment on those issues?

What do the witnesses believe should happen regarding those regulations? Are they applicable in terms of working in an all-island scenario regarding the food products?