Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

To carry on from Deputy Ring, the present system is working so why break it? Ireland's current system is a model for the rest of Europe and has gained Irish farmers an international reputation as a high quality food producer. This is why we are so successful at exporting our dairy and beef produce across the world.

Instead of reclassifying veterinary medicines into different categories that can be prescribed by registered professionals with graded levels of qualifications and competences, the approach outlined in the draft regulations published by the Department of Agriculture and Food in August would impose a rigid veterinary prescription only regime while applying for exemptions from the prescription requirement at European level. This will not work for the reasons outlined by my colleagues. In some parts of the country, vets are not available and the regulation will make it difficult for farmers who have administered certain medicines for years in the knowledge that if they did anything wrong, they could jeopardise not only their own livelihoods but those of other farmers.

The most effective way of ensuring high levels of animal health and welfare is to encourage farmers and animal owners to take a preventative approach where veterinary medicines are concerned. This can best be done by enabling them to procure and administer routine management drugs, such as external and internal parasiticides and vaccines, as easily and as early as possible. Vets should continue to be called for cases requiring a clinical diagnosis or the prescription of antibiotics, steroids and other high risk medicines. However, the draft regulations should make provisions for differentiated categories of drugs which can be prescribed by other professionals who are qualified to do so, such as licensed merchants, agricultural scientists, pharmacists and others.

This restrictive regime, which will be introduced if the regulation is adopted in Ireland in the manner proposed, will have major implications for the farming industry throughout the country. A further worry is the cross-Border distortion of the market in veterinary medicine products that will be introduced. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, will be very familiar with the type of cross-Border smuggling that took place in the past, particularly with regard to angel dust and other cattle hormones. If the regulation is introduced, there will be another, totally different black market. Unless there is a common regime in this country, north and south of the Border, a very dangerous precedent will be set if this is introduced. I mean that sincerely given what happened in the past. Most of the angel dust, illegal growth promoters, etc. which came into this country came from the North, as the Ministers of State know. It involved a major racket.

Farmers have been very responsible, despite what people say about them, as have vets. Vets and farmers have a very successful partnership and together they have ensured we have one of the best products in the world. That must be acknowledged. No vet contacted me about this proposed regime, or lobbied me to have it introduced. However, a number of farmers contacted me. Vets' livelihoods will not be threatened in any way if this is not introduced because they have enough work to do. They are expanding into several areas rather than confining themselves to farming.

I appeal to the Minister and Ministers of State to rethink the proposed regime as it is very important that they do so. I appeal to the Ministers of State, two practical people and, I hope, pragmatists, not to allow this to develop. They are accompanied by a very good civil servant who I worked with in the past who will advise them properly.

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