Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

May I put a supplementary question to Ms Muldoon following what she said there? From what I hear her saying, the farmer would have to be able to converse with his vet to get the product he needs. Let us take a Sunday evening or Sunday night, at eight or nine o'clock. In the vast majority of practice, vets operate on a rota and only one will be on call. A lot of the time he will be out physically doing a call. In practice, I hear what Ms Muldoon is saying clearly to me, that it is from his knowledge he will have to prescribe. From what she is saying, however, the farmer will have to have a direct conversation with the vet to get the drug prescribed.

Coming from a farm, I see that will be very difficult and problematic during a busy spring period. I can imagine a lot of tempers getting very frayed while farmers try to make sure they are able to get what they need as quickly as possible.