Mr. Peadar Ó Scanaill:

One of the benefits of the in-depth look at the Act is the encouragement to the council to do a lot more to strengthen the role, which is something we will do much more going forward. This Act is one to envy. This particular certificate of suitability, which is the certificate for the premises, is not in many other Acts or in any other professions across many other jurisdictions, as we found when we went looking. If we pull back a little, before ever we talk about an owner or a corporate body laying down rules and regulations, there is no service to the public until a registrant applies to us to open a service to the public at and from a certain premises. That is the first step. That is the hands on the wheel. As we said when we were here last, it would be very important for us that there would only be three parties on the playing field. The hands on the wheel would be the vet's hands only - the registrant's hands only - and that is on the certificate.

In fairness, there will be contracts between the registrants and the owners but that contract can never come across the provision of the service, which is in the hands of the veterinary practitioners, who apply to us for that certificate. The certificate is only for four years. If any issue arises during those four years, and he or she applies for the next four years, we can refuse it, revoke it, re-grant it or grant it with conditions. This is all in the primary legislation. It is a very strong Act and it gives us fantastic control over the provision of service, which is a huge step forward. It means that, as we said in our opening statement, while the Deputy has referred to the owner or the employer saying one thing or the other, the first person to speak is the certificate of suitability holder.

The power is in the hands of the registrant who opens that service, provides it to the public and four years later applies to renew and continue that service. If an issue arises that concerns that registrant enough, he or she can move next door, apply for a certificate there and continue the service.