Mr. Conor Geraghty:

We recognised the difficulty at the outset. We feel that the Department's suggestion to set up an NVPS - an instant online system that goes straight to the cloud and the farmer receives a text with a number - provides farmers with a high level of choice that they did not have before, not only for antiparasitic products, but also for other products. Those prescriptions can be filled by any legitimate outlet, not only in Ireland but within the EU. From a veterinary point of view, we see this as additional, rather than less, competition.