Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 22:

In page 67, to delete lines 38 and 39.

The purpose of the amendments is to address an anomaly in the Bill. Under the legislation as framed, the Minister of State, a veterinary practitioner, surgeon, schoolteacher or any other professional may cross the road to help out a neighbour if one of his ewes is in difficulty lambing. A veterinary nurse is the only person who is prohibited from assisting a neighbour in such circumstances. He or she may carry out a procedure such as pulling a lamb on his or her own farm, provided he or she is a farmer. Under the wording of the current provision and the definition of a body cavity, once a veterinary nurse assists another person by putting his or her arm into a body cavity to try to pull a lamb, he or she is committing an offence for which he or she may be struck off the register.

The House will be told it will be possible to turn a blind eye to this provision and the circumstances I describe will not arise. Human nature being as it is, it is certain that at some point an elderly man living in a rural area who has a ewe in difficulty and cannot reach a vet will knock on a neighbour's door to ask for help. If his neighbour is a veterinary nurse, she will no longer be considered a farmer the moment she leaves her premises to carry out the procedure. Instead, she will be considered a veterinary nurse and, as such, is prohibited under the legislation from carrying out the procedure. This unfair anomaly must be addressed and the amendment proposes to do so. I ask the Minister of State to accept it.

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