Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

——and a genuine wish for a total ban on such beef. There was unanimous agreement on that issue which the Minister can accept if she wishes.

Some of her colleagues talked about the meetings they had with vets and farmers. We have all had such meetings and had to listen to people talk about the difficulties these regulations will create. Exemptions will be in place for the time being. The fact this issue does not have to be dealt with until January 2006 reminds me of the nitrates directive which we kept putting off saying decisions would not be taken until later and that there would be wide consultation and so on. What gets me is the fact that intramammaries will not be off prescription.

I was not present for all the Minister's speech but she said the House was no doubt aware of the growing concerns about the growth of antibiotic resistance, particularly over the past ten years. She went on to talk about the World Health Organisation, the organisation which allows hormones, steroids and so on to be used in America without a word said while we must meet all sorts of regulations. The Minister also referred to the Irish Medicines Board's anxiety about intramammaries. She also said the creameries were quite successful. I wonder why the speech writer thought it was necessary to insert the words "quite successful". Members involved in farming know that creameries have been extremely successful in regulating intramammaries under existing mechanisms. We then heard about international scientific opinion on the prudent use of antibiotics. We also heard about the Minister's predecessor who had no option to introduce an alternative system. Many other reasons were listed why this regulation was drafted. A farmer can buy intramammaries or dry tubes from his vet or co-operative store, provided he works within legislation. The farmer then ensures the tubes are used properly because he knows it is wrong to do otherwise. More importantly, he knows if he is found out through testing of the milk tank, he will lose much money.

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