Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to speak on this Bill. The major difference between this Bill and the Veterinary Practice Act 2005 is that we can legislate with the benefit of hindsight. The 2005 Act was a landmark decision and the proposed amending Bill is a progressive step towards bringing veterinary practice into the 21st century.

In 2005, it was accepted that veterinary legislation was outdated and in desperate need of reform. The primary function of the Bill is to fully clarify the legal position in enabling the Minister to exclude specified activities from being reserved to veterinary practitioners and nurses and to fully expand the definition of the " practice of veterinary medicine". The definition in the 2005 Act was far too vague and as a result it has been subject to varying interpretations. Stock owners and practitioners were unhappy with the vague definition.

The Veterinary Council of Ireland concluded that various ancillary activities were being inadvertently covered by the definition. In the effort of protecting animal welfare and safety, legal clarity is needed to define the activities that may be offered to farmers and other animal owners by service providers or non-vets when a veterinary practitioner is unavailable. Many of these activities such as farriery, bovine hoof trimming and the scanning of cattle and sheep, are already being carried out by other service providers. This Bill will legalise and regularise those services in the interest of protecting animal welfare.

There is also a growing need for competitiveness in this sector to be protected. If a significant number of procedures are exclusively reserved to the veterinary profession, there is a greater probability that these services will prove more costly for the individual, in the absence of a competitive market. As other speakers have noted, veterinary costs are a large factor for farmers. As it stands, many of the veterinary practices throughout the country and particularly in Carlow-Kilkenny match the prices of their competitors for procedures such as scanning.

On the issue of the export of horsemeat, I do not believe Irish people like the idea of their horses being eaten. However, there is a particular problem for the horse sector. I draw the attention of the Minister of State to the very bad winter weather last year. It was not an uncommon sight to see horses standing in two to three feet of muck with nothing for them to eat. At that stage I asked whether we could introduce a national cull, because it was hard to watch these animals suffer in the bad weather.

A particular problem with regard to the disposal of horses concerns the cost to the owner for the disposal of the carcass. I will not seek a roll-back of legislation introduced in that regard because I agree we must dispose of animals properly. However, I would like the Minister to consider other options for disposal, particularly in the case of horses. This is also a huge problem for local authorities. They must round up these animals and dispose of them in the correct way, which involves significant cost. Perhaps it would be better to export these animals for meat. This might be kinder to the animals and would be better than leaving them languishing. With that in mind, should the reporting of specific cases of animal cruelty encountered by veterinary practitioners be made mandatory?

Before the 2005 Act, the veterinary profession had been self-governing. There is an inherent weakness in self regulation, but this amendment should correct that. Major shortcomings existed regarding disciplinary aspects and the measures which could be taken to deal with them under the code of practice, with a noted lack of proportionality in terms of the range of sanctions offered. However, the 2005 Act reformed the disciplinary proceedings, giving due regard to human rights standards. With this Bill, a further progressive step is being taken to advance the effectiveness of the Veterinary Council of Ireland's investigative functions through authorising its officers to enter a premises other than a domestic dwelling without a search warrant. I welcome this as it will make the investigative process more transparent.

I would, wearing my parochial hat, like to refer to the situation in Kilkenny with regard to district veterinary officers, DVOs. I have asked the Minister of State why the DVO in Kilkenny was downgraded and have asked him to consider having somebody from the Department attend the Kilkenny Mart in Cillín Hill rather than make it necessary for the farmers to drive to Waterford. It would be better if one person was in Kilkenny to service the needs of the farmers on that day.

While this is not part of the jurisdiction of the Minister of State, I would like to draw his attention to a sad fact, namely that the incidence of suicide among vets is among the highest in the country. While I do not wish to introduce a sad note to the Bill, it is worth reflecting on this. I commend the Bill to the House.

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