William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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You will have to go to your chemist to get that. It is the very same. We look after our animals. What is all this about? Once a week, I have to sit down and put into my medical register everything I do and everything I have bought. There is a record. The corresponding number has to be put into it and it is inspected. What is wrong? There are no complaints about it. Obviously, it is a vested industry that wants to take these people out. It will be dearer for me. Will it be available to me? Will it be closed at 5 p.m.? I can ring Mick Byrne when I am at silage or during the calving period and am under pressure. I ask Mick would he mind dropping stuff in to me and it is done.

I had five questions. How does the veterinary medicines Act 2023 affect the responsibilities and compliance requirements of veterinary professionals and animal health practices? That is one question I had. I could ask the witnesses the five questions but I will not. I will give them my experience of it. I think it is wrong. We have to sit down and talk to the Minister. All we want is for common sense to prevail. We have heard everything the witnesses have to say. I was reading this for months on end. I do not want this taken out of the market.

I do not have any questions because I know it all. I just want to say I support the witnesses 100%. They can speak to me as a practising person who is dealing with them.

I have been dealing with Mick Byrne, as my father did before me, for 41 years. That is how long we have been dealing with him. He provides a great service and I do not want to see him go. His son is there now as well. He is a lovely fella. Why would we damage something that is working well? That is all I will say. If the witnesses want to answer, that is fair enough, but Merchants Alliance Ireland is not having any impact at the veterinary end, on the qualifications of a vet or anything like that, none whatsoever. I do not need a vet to tell me there are lice on my cattle. I can see them.