Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to join with members in discussing and trying to conclude this issue. Unfortunately, this matter has gone on for too long without finding a solution with which we are all satisfied.

The Attorney General has ruled that there is no derogation from the EU regulation so there is no point revisiting the issue again. I take the word, as we always do, of the Attorney General. I thought that he had set a new precedent when, during the summer, he publicly issued details of his decision on attendance at an event in the Merrion Hotel but obviously not.

Decoupling is out owing to certain geographical areas of the country that are sparse when it comes to veterinary practices and suppliers. Let us put that aside too.

The roll out of the system comes down to how the Department implements it. The members represent people and are representative of the Dáil that put the Minister in charge who, in turn, instructs the officials in the Department to do their job. That is the way it is and as it should be. There is a feeling here that an annual test offers an opportunity to audit the supplies required during a given year for the herd. We should not be led and dictated to by the Veterinary Council of Ireland. Where does it state in legislation that it has the authority to decide how an EU regulation is implemented? There is no other authority in the State nor should there be that has that authority. It should not be the case in this instance. It is all down to how the vets interpret this and apply it to the system that the Department is putting in place. The vets can do it with an annual test and they should be instructed to do so by means of an annual prediction. Anything supplementary to that, they can do individually thereafter. Obviously this all comes down to what is in it for vets. The Department should talk to the vets and reach an agreement.

This committee represents the country as a whole and there is cross-party agreement. It would appear that there is unanimity among the members here and, therefore, by association, there is unanimity among the Deputies in the Dáil. The Dáil is asking that the Minister, in conjunction with the Department, instructs the Veterinary Council of Ireland, if that is the authority it must deal with, that its members should cater for those who wish their test to be an adjudication on the amount of supply, especially of antiparasitic medicines, that is made thereafter. It is as simple as that as far as I can figure out. I do not know why we are going around the houses about the issue.

As Deputy Ring rightly said, a system is being put in place, and I imagine that is being done at much expense. Let us put the system in place and cater for one or the other but primarily cater for a system whereby the annual test is the annual audit of what supplies are required for the year thereafter. I do not think that is too complicated.

I accept and acknowledge that it is very unfortunate that there was no potential for a derogation. The Attorney General has ruled accordingly and it has implications for some responsible persons who work within practices or suppliers.

With all due respect to Deputy Carthy, of course he would seek to play a bit of politics with this matter and try to dissect my answers back in July of last year during the short term I answered questions and then when the current Minister, Deputy McConalogue, did so last November. Deputy Carthy implied or inferred that it was the Government's fault that we did not retain the ability of responsible persons to dispense without a prescription. We accept, appreciate and understand all that but it is high time that this matter was put to bed. It is high time the Veterinary Council of Ireland was instructed. The Department vis-à-visthe Minister vis-à-visthe Members of Dáil Éireann are best judged to represent and adjudicate on behalf of their constituents and the farming fraternity throughout the country, who believe that this is the only way that this matter can be resolved.