Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I can spend as long discussing the issue as the Chairman wants. This is a formality which has happened every year since 2001. Legislation has applied since 2001 which allows me to authorise officers to conduct the relevant inspections required. The reason this needs to be renewed on a yearly basis is that it was supposed to be a temporary measure while new animal health and welfare legislation was being put in place. This has taken much longer than was previously anticipated. It is nearly concluded and once this legislation is finalised there will be no need for this annual approval process for me to delegate authorised officers. The problem is that if the committee were to choose to not allow me do it I could not authorise officers, which would cause an unwelcome lacuna and problems.

I ask people to allow me to continue with the current procedures for authorised officers until we have a new Animal Health and Welfare Bill that will apply new rules for those authorised officers. We all seemed quite comfortable with that when we debated the provision. I do not want to waste the committee's time beyond that unless members want me to go into more detail.