Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 6 October 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

EU Regulation on Veterinary Medicinal Products (Resumed): Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Mr. Rob Doyle:

I might take that question. I thank Senator Paul Daly for the question. We understand that in many areas there is a difference between the North and the South. It is a risk anywhere a border exists. In addition to what my colleague, Dr. Corkery, described, we also have the official control system where we have on-farm inspections. Farmers are inspected and we also have the residue sampling. The penalties for being found with a medicine that is not legal are draconian. There are really serious penalties, including exclusion of animals and product from the food chain.