Dr. David Murphy:

On Dr. Beechinor's point, the anti-parasitic compounds are a precious commodity. The last new broad spectrum anti-parasitic wormer product for cattle and sheep was authorised ten years ago. That product contains the active substance derquantel. In 2009 we had a product called Zolvix, containing monepantel. They are the two substances that were most recently authorised. There has been nothing new in the broad spectrum anti-parasitic anthelmintic field since then. I emphasise that these compounds are a precious commodity. If one considers the major worm species of cattle and sheep, essentially there are just five classes or wormers available to treat these. These five can be used in sheep but only three of the classes can be used in cattle. Within those classes of substances there are multiple different substances. If there is resistance to one substance within a class then typically there will be resistance to all substances in that class. We are talking about a very small pool of products, so we do need to take steps to preserve them. It is clear that anti-parasitic resistance is an issue. That is not just a conclusion of the HPRA report. Within Ireland bodies such as Animal Health Ireland and Teagasc would also agree on this, as do the European Medicines Agency and other animal health bodies outside of Ireland. Everybody agrees that anthelmintic resistance and anti-parasitic resistance generally is a serious issue and that it needs to be tackled. The issue is not so much about providing access to these products. In fact, as Dr. Beechinor has said, one of the principal goals or objectives in order to maintain the efficacy of these products into the future is to restrict access, in some respects, and to preserve them and only use them when they are required. This is why the legislation is framed the way it is. Basically, it requires that these substances are subject to prescription control. It is important to make the point that this is a step in the right direction, as Dr. Beechinor has said. It is a step, along with other steps, that needs to be taken to preserve the long-term efficacy of these products. This is in everybody's interests and especially in the interests of the animals that we treat, from the point of view of animal health and animal welfare. It is also in the interests of the farming community more generally in promoting animal productivity and farm sustainability. It is an important issue but, as Dr. Beechinor has said, the move to prescription control is not in itself a silver bullet. There are other measures that need to be taken.

On the question of the licensed merchants and where they fit into the equation, that is largely an issue for the Department to consider and I understand that it is engaged with licence purchasers and other stakeholders at this moment in time to ensure that in any new system there will be competition in the dispensing regime.