Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 11:

In page 43, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:

"56.—A person may transport an animal to a veterinary premises under the meaning of Part 9 for the purposes of first aid or medical assistance in an emergency, without complying with normal animal movement regulations.".

I tabled this amendment because it came to my notice from talking to a number of farmers in recent weeks that where Caesarean sections, especially emergency ones, must be carried out on cattle, it has increasingly become the case that veterinary practitioners want the animals to be brought into their premises to carry out the procedure. Up to now the vast majority of Caesarean sections on cows were performed on the farm, but this is not now the case. Given the difficulty this requirement presents and having regard to the provisions of the animal movement regulations in place, it is imperative to make provision in this regard.

The Minister said on Committee Stage that the animal health Bill would deal with this issue, but that Bill is still promised and nothing has happened in respect of it. That Bill has many implications and it will not have an easy passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. In the meantime farmers will be left in an unenviable position in that they will not be cross-compliant if they bring an animal to a veterinary practice for a Caesarean section. This is the practice in some parts of the country and vets will not perform the procedure on the farm, rather in their premises. In light of that, I ask the Minister of State to provide for such circumstances by accepting this amendment to ensure that farmers will not be in breach of the regulations until we can thrash out this issue when we debate the animal health Bill.

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