Mr. Terence O'Shea:

As has been reported by veterinary representative bodies and the various groups which speak on behalf of veterinarians, there is a shortage of veterinarians in rural Ireland. The majority of the veterinarians in our part of the world on the western seaboard are in single-veterinarian practices. It might be ageist of me to say this but the majority of those veterinarians are not getting any younger. In most cases, no young veterinarians are interested in getting into large-animal practices on the western seaboard. That is one matter.

In respect of sheep farmers who do not keep bovine, there is no reason for a veterinary practitioner to visit the farm unless he or she is invited to do so. Many sheep farmers would not engage with a veterinary practitioner from one end of the year to the other. Sheep farmers' trusted source for medicinal supplies and up-to-date advice around practice, especially in respect of anti-parasitic resistance, has always been their supplier. That supplier may be a veterinary practice, if the farmer is involved with veterinary medicine. It may be the local co-operative, merchant or pharmacist. The success of any business is not based on how cheaply you can sell something but is based on the soundness of the advice you can offer your customers. Repeat custom is based on advice and best practice. As I said earlier, if the licensed merchants, pharmacists and co-operatives exit the industry, there will be nobody left to take up the slack in large parts of rural Ireland because people are not there, are not interested and are not involved. Veterinarians in a one-veterinarian practice are involved in all aspect of their practice. They are not at the coalface. They are not at the counter when a customer comes into the practice because they are out on farms. Veterinary pharmacists or pharmacists are required to be on the premises for the pharmacy to operate. A licensed merchant's premises does not operate unless the responsible person is on the premises. As long as the door is open, the person who can provide the sound and solid advice is available for a discussion and interaction, or to offer any advice that the farmer needs. We are considering promoting prudent and appropriate usage of anti-parasitic medicines. That is a constant engagement between the customer and the supplier. It happens on a weekly and daily basis. There are cases where someone will come in and buy a product before ringing back a week later. We are there and available to the customer. We are qualified to give the service and capable of doing so. We need to continue giving that service.