Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for the opportunity to come in on this issue. I am only a part-time visitor to this committee. There was a time when I thought I would be here much more regularly. The issue here is antiparasitics. The issue of fertiliser usage and the registration of fertiliser usage is understandable in the context of water quality and so forth. We will have to live with that. I was at this committee about a year ago and I do not think we are much further on than we were then. The initial departmental interpretation of this directive is not workable. That is widely acknowledged by all concerned. I think they have come to that realisation now. Its impact on licensed merchants and pharmacists and, by association, farmers, is not one that will be accepted, quite simply. They have all been very quiet, understanding and patient to this point. We cannot guarantee that will continue if the legislation that is brought to bear to give effect to this directive does not meet with the approval of all concerned.

Last year we spoke about the potential of veterinarians carrying out annual audits on herds based on the historical needs of that herd, in relation to the expectation and provisions there would be in a given year. That would be forthcoming initially and used thereafter the same way it has been in recent years. That does not appear to have gathered any momentum and does not appear to be in the mind of the Department with regard to the proposals it may eventually come up with. As Deputy Ring says, in the meantime, the status quoremains the same in the North. That is at variance with the interpretation of this by our Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, despite the fact that we need an all-island economy for agriculture and animal healthcare. We cannot have that while this continues. Deputy Ring is quite right. It may well be that the meeting in the middle is done around the duty, the responsibility, the qualification and the ongoing review of the capacity of the responsible person to maintain their role into the future. There is nothing to suggest that these people have broken any trust in years past but there may be some merit in an agreement for them to continue to augment their own qualifications, capacity and ability to do their job into the future. That could be reviewed on a regular basis and proof could be provided for those who initiated this rule in Europe around the capacity or capability of the State to manage its affairs adequately, properly and effectively. That comes from the best intentions to maintain our standards in the delivery of our products in the agriculture sector.

I appreciate the witnesses being here again and the efforts I am sure they have made in the meantime to discuss this with relevant departmental officials. Our party will continue to talk to those in office and in government with a view to the legislation giving effect to this directive meeting with the approval of all concerned. This has gone on too long. It needs to come to a conclusion. People's livelihoods cannot continue to be threatened in the way they are by the fear about what is contained in the initial interpretation by the Department over 12 months ago. I ask this committee to do what it has been doing, and I am sure will do again, and ensure the officials who are charged with responsibility for this legislation reach agreement with the parties and stakeholders concerned. That is our direction and that is the direction of members of all parties and none on this committee, which is representative of the Dáil itself. There is a majority within the Dáil that wishes to see this resolved forthwith, to allow these people to get on with their business and allow us to get on with what we do best in producing the sort of quality that is renowned throughout the world.