Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

The draft animal remedies regulations will have a major restrictive effect on the availability of farm medicines and will adversely affect farmers' competitiveness in the market. Irish farmers merely wish to be in a position to produce food to the highest standards, without necessarily being restricted or discriminated against. In its current form the proposed legislation can only be described as a retrograde step, failing to recognise the positive aspects of the current system. This is particularly so in the case of the mastitis control programmes. Under the terms of the directive there is nothing to prevent Ireland from continuing with this system.

Farmers and animal owners should be encouraged to adopt a preventive approach with medicines, to ensure the highest standards of animal health. Generally tighter controls should be instrumental in ensuring that Irish food will remain residue free by the observance of the withdrawal period for the medicines administered. This is a key link in the food chain. However, if veterinary practitioners are unavailable there is always the possibility that this new legislation may result in a decline in the use of medicines to prevent disease. This would be most detrimental to the best interests of farmers, food producers and consumers.

These regulations fail to recognise the ability, experience and professionalism of Irish farmers as keepers of livestock and are a cause of major concern to them. There also is the crazy situation where the flow of legitimate technical information to livestock farmers through advertisements in farming journals would be prevented. They are anti-competitive in the sense that the introduction of a veterinary prescription requirement for all animal medicines will reduce competition in their sale, to the obvious disadvantage of other suppliers. The viability of the network of supply outlets in co-operative stores and other outlets will be seriously undermined.

Prescription only medicines for animals are considerably more expensive than non-prescription medicines. There is the ludicrous case of head lice treatment, to which Deputy Cowley referred, which one may purchase over the counter for a child but not for an animal. This must be looked at. It is not sensible. There is a major cost implication in this for the farmer and it will be passed on to the consumer. In some instances it will not be worthwhile spending the money concerned on an animal such as a lamb or a small pig and the possibility is that the animal will be put down.

The prescription may not permit any choice of generic products which will undoubtedly add to the cost of available remedies.

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