Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to that. The case of animal health levies which the Deputy has raised is a fair point. The section the Deputy is seeking to amend states: "Where the Minister proposes to make regulations under this section, [that is, animal health levies] a draft of the regulations shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the regulations shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each House." This means that the Houses of the Oireachtas need to pass this regulation in regard to health levies before it can be introduced. In the case of animal health levies the Minister has to go through that practice because it is not one of a crisis mode. What I am referring to is some of the other asks in terms of a Minister being able to make a decision quickly. Both Houses of the Oireachtas have to support the regulation in regard to an animal health levy before the Minister can introduce it. That surely satisfies the Deputy's concerns.

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