Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

I am surprised to hear that because a lot of work has moved from that Department, given the new system of payments.

What worries me is that one often sees the stamp of bureaucrats in the implementation of regulations. It is important we, as politicians, ensure that what emerges is practical. It is fine to propose theories but some of the measures implemented in the 2001 Act should be scrapped because they have served their purpose and it is time to get rid of them. Otherwise, as with the emergency legislation of 1939, it will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and never come to an end. It is time we faced up to the reality that some of the measures in place are no longer required. There is no longer an emergency. I debated this legislation ad nauseam and put forward amendments to remove its most draconian aspects. It has achieved its objective and I would like to see areas of it revisited. Perhaps some will not like my saying this but I must do so on behalf of the people who elect me.

This matter was debated in 2002 during the period in office of the Minister's predecessor. I made the point that sometimes we are almost too good as Europeans. We rush to the headland to make sure we implement the exact wording of regulations and transpose them verbatim without taking cognisance of particular circumstances. We could learn from the French in this regard. They are good at making sure that all regulations and directives are amended to suit them.

Deputy Upton was the first to call for proper labelling of goods, including not only the country of origin but the place of origin, whether it be Wexford, Waterford or the townland of Kilmeaden. She wanted every ingredient to be on the label. I went to the Rungis market in Paris one morning at 4.30 a.m. I saw lamb and beef from the finest place in the country — Kilbeggan — where we know how to produce beef and lamb. The French had little blue and white flags on their meat so their consumers would know what lamb and beef was French. We are such good Europeans we are almost terrified of identifying exactly what is good in this country. We should brand our products to show off our good, green image.

The Minister referred to intramammaries. That was an aspect of the bad old days when we were qualifying in agriculture and when perhaps excess was used. However, there are now somatic cell counts and other processes in creameries and elsewhere throughout the country. If somebody slips up, he or she loses a whole container of milk, not just on one day but for the following two days also. One would want to be the greatest fool to let a 400 gallon tank of milk go down the drain three days in a row. Farmers are as good as guardians of their products as any qualified person — I speak as a qualified agriculturist. They are as good as anybody else. If they were not, they would be lost and their demise would be accelerated if they did not deal with this issue in a safe way.

The Minister reassured me with some of the points she made. In the early 1970s I qualified at UCD. Some of those I qualified with now practise medicine and dispensation. They have 30 years' experience and are as good as anyone else in this regard. They should be trusted. I know my local vet, who has enough to do.

It is time the points system for entry to veterinary studies was done away with. It is nonsense that one would need 600 points to become a vet. Some people in rural Ireland would make excellent vets and whether they get an A in honours mathematics has nothing to do with it. One would be better to have a good scientific background. It is time we examined the curriculum to ensure an adequate supply of vets throughout the country. The system for access to a veterinary degree is too restrictive and excludes those who have spent their lives on farms and know animals, which is what it is all about.

Farmers are the greatest custodians of our produce. They would be fools if they did anything to harm their own products or created a difficulty for the country. That risk is in the past. However, I am concerned that we might place farmers in an unworkable situation. I wrote to the Minister with examples of this. The situation was so tight I was afraid the Minister would return to the bad old days of an unregulated black market.

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