Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 41, line 25, after "Minister" to insert "with the approval of Dáil Éireann".

This amendment comes back to the issue of definitions. There are such wide provisions in this legislation that the Minister could regulate everything bar the kitchen sink if she wished. In the definition of veterinary practice, there are such broad provisions that every Member of the Oireachtas could be defined as a practitioner of veterinary medicine if the majority of the House wanted without any debate. That is the main difficulty I have with it.

The Minister and the profession would be protected if there was a provision requiring the positive approval of the Dáil and referral to a committee. Many Ministers are sympathetic to this sort of provision but for some reason the Minister for Agriculture and Food is not prepared to consider it in this legislation.

Section 53 provides for the Minister to introduce regulations on live animal certification or products of animal origin. The Minister, when Deputy Crawford raised the issue on Committee Stage, said it was not the case but section 53(1) covers what veterinary practitioners can certify. The veterinary profession has a certain degree of influence in the Department of Agriculture of Food and we must ensure checks and balances are in place.

We have teased out the transportation of animals with the Minister on a number of occasions so there is a sensible and practical approach taken that is not stacked in favour of one profession getting its cut of the cake before everyone else. That is why I am concerned about the practice of veterinary medicine. The amendment would mean the Minister would have to bring regulations before the House, thus ensuring any proposals to extend the provisions for veterinary medicine would be debated. Otherwise, it is possible that a Minister could be caught in a bind with the veterinary profession when the issue of certification by vets who want a slice of the cake before allowing these procedures to go through arises.

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