Mr. Joe Moffitt:

I will take Senator Paul Daly's questions in order. On the suggestion that the product is the problem and that it really does not matter who prescribes or dispenses it because it is essentially a box-ticking exercise, the whole area of antiparasitic resistance is a dynamic between the animal, the parasite and the environment. We are in a situation where our products are losing their usefulness and efficacy.

What the veterinary medicine regulations envisage is proper management of the products where they are applied, using the least amount of product to get the best and most targeted amount of response such that the usefulness of these products can be prolonged. As regards the decoupling, we are the regulatory authority and we regulate the veterinary profession so that prescribing is done with due diligence and whatever dispensing is also done with due diligence.

With regard to multinationals buying small practices, every year there is an increasing number of veterinary surgeons on the register and a significant proportion of those coming onto our register are interested in pursuing a career in farm animal and rural practice. We do not at present envisage any deficiency.

With regard to Senator Daly's point on prescriptions being valid for five days and the animal welfare concerns of Deputy Collins, these regulations foresee a common-sense attitude and a reasonable response, and a relationship between farmers and vets such that products are prescribed or dispensed on the basis of clinical examination or proper assessment, which we have helped the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to define, such that animals are properly cared for by their owners supported by the veterinarians. We hope to ensure this continues. These regulations may give a somewhat more structured approach in this regard. Animals will continue to be cared for properly, possibly with better disease control and outcomes for the animals and less expense for their owners in the longer term.