Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Collins is right. I accept his bona fides in the context of what he is doing. There has to be a mechanism to charge vets for providing this system, however. That is my point. Mr. Collins might come back to me on the cost data and the likely cost of contracts into which the Department is entering in order to maintain this going forward.

I will pick up on a point that was made in response to a question from Deputy Fitzmaurice. Dr. Corkery stated that there is an option for a farmer to request what I would call a bulk cert whereby he or she could get an annualised prescription. Has the farmer any recourse if a vet says he or she will not do that and that the farmer can get products each time they are needed and that he or she will be charged each time?" I appreciate that this is probably an issue for the VCI but is it something the Department has considered? Is there going to be provision to safeguard farmers in the type of situation I have outlined?