Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The CVO, or the chief veterinary officer. He relayed to the Minister concerns that many of the current proposals were unworkable. Has the Minister's statement that he wants solutions to this issue that will not be detrimental to the various parties involved been acknowledged within the Department? Is there a concern in the Department stemming from the submissions we have seen and the statements by bodies that have appeared before us in recent weeks? Unfortunately, we are hearing that the number of veterinary practices being sold could be in the double digits. In fairness to the Chairman, he is trying to put an end to that with his Bill. What we are hearing is that, if practices can get a hold of everything where veterinary medicines are concerned, it will be worth a great deal of money when selling the practices.

The Department is well aware that practices are being taken over in parts of the country. At one stage, someone in Donegal had to travel 50 or 60 miles to get a vet because practices had been taken over. Is the Department not concerned that farmers will be at a disadvantage and that a monopoly will take over? No Department should cod itself.

There is embarrassment in this for farmers. That is the main problem. A vet does a herd test and comes out if there is a problem with a ewe yeaning or a cow calving. How will a farmer look that vet in the eye, ask for a prescription and then say he or she is going down the road from the vet's because it might be €5 cheaper at a pharmacy or a co-op? It is not doable. We need to get this fact into our heads. We are going to create a monopoly. I am afraid the veterinary side of the Department is taking the side of the vets. As politicians, though, it is the farmer we should be considering.