Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Amendment No. 2 arises out of committee proceedings. Amendments Nos. 2 to 7, inclusive, are related and can be discussed together. Does Deputy Kerrane wish to discuss amendments Nos. 2 to 7?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is most unfortunate.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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This is a difficult area. Many suppliers and providers are concerned about their futures. Above all, we need proper, safe medicines and prescriptions to be available for farmers and all people who own or work with animals. The Ceann Comhairle and I know that chemists gave us good cures, not only for ourselves but also for many farm animals. There should be some involvement and pharmacists should be able to use their professional expertise and accumulated experience, which is probably more important when dealing with animal welfare and diseases over the decades.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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I will be brief. This is an issue I have spoken about a number of times in the Chamber. My concern is that the responsible persons are not being recognised as the qualified people they are in the proposed changes. In regard to animal welfare, the North operates a different system than that which will operate here in respect of veterinary medicines. Farmers may go to the North and get veterinary medicines on the black market. That gives rise to questions of animal welfare. The responsible person was always the first point of contact for a farmer in an agri-merchant. Following the Bill's passing, that will change. An animal could be left too long because, as we know, there is a shortage of vets. Measures are being put in place to increase the number of vets. The proposed changes will definitely cause problems and create barriers. I have expressed concerns about this on previous occasions.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Kerrane for the amendment. It is something we discussed on Committee Stage. Having considered it, it is not something I propose to accept on the basis that the national veterinary prescription system, NVPS, allows for veterinary prescriptions remarked as dispensed on the system. When we discussed this on Committee Stage, my understanding was that stakeholders wanted to ensure there is a robust system that records partial dispensing of prescriptions, including dates and amounts dispensed. I can confirm that this is the case. The NVPS has this functionality built into it and my departmental officials are continuing to engage with pharmacists on the matter. I am confident a technical solution within the NVPS is present to deal with the matter.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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How do you partially dispense a prescription? You either dispense it or you do not.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Potentially if there is a repeat-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Bizarre, I would think.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am just curious.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I move amendment No. 4:

In page 10, line 28, to delete “regulations.” and substitute the following:

“regulations;

(i) requirements for a proper assessment of the health status of the animal or group of animals to which the animal belongs by a veterinarian for the purposes of issuing a prescription for specified categories of veterinary medicinal products for non-therapeutic treatment.”.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Amendments Nos. 8 and 9 arise from Committee Stage and are related and may be discussed together.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Kerrane for the amendment. I know we discussed it on Committee Stage as well. I do not propose to accept it. We have given the amendment thought, but we are well covered in the legislation as it is. The legislation was sent to the Data Protection Commissioner for consultation, which indicated it welcomed the inclusion of the listed bodies and the reasons for data sharing. My Department has undertaken to put data sharing agreements in place with each body, before any data sharing takes place. Any data sharing agreements which have yet to be finalised will be, in both the national interest and in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders. We have taken the steps to ensure any data collected under this Bill comply with all GDPR rules and requirements. It is anticipated a number of Departments, agencies and other third parties may require access to data on fertiliser sales and stock levels. The robust data sharing provisions in the legislation will allow for the specific sharing of data with other bodies to achieve environmental and sustainability targets and will be fully in line with GDPR and other data protection legislation.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I will raise a point on data, data sharing and GDPR. This subject is quite interesting. The Ceann Comhairle was at another meeting earlier, at which we had a Minister of State bring in a breach of data.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please do not go there.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I will not go there, but how can we have confidence when a Minister of State - anyone can make a mistake - inadvertently quoted a colleague of mine, Deputy Michael Collins, of being something he is not? There was also a very close direct connection with the Minister of State's family to the information. It is quite serious. A letter has gone to the Ceann Comhairle.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have the letter. I have read it and I have read the blacks. I do not think it is a crime to be accused of being an organic farmer.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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No, but it is-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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However, there is a valid question as to how somebody would know a person was an organic farmer.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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There is another valid question, given that Deputy Collins is not an organic farmer. He was an organic farmer; past tense.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not relevant to this debate.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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How can we have confidence in data sharing and data correction, when the Minister of State blurts out things like that? Her defence was that she had done it before. That is not a defence.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Let us not go there.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The issue is fully covered.

With regard to the point earlier on, the behaviour was outrageous, as was the allegation by Deputy McGrath's colleague as to why the Minister of State, Deputy Hackett, was here, given she was elected as a Minister of State by this Dáil to carry out her function. A very quick Google search will point the Deputy to where that particular Deputy who made the allegation about organic farming declared it previously at an Oireachtas committee in these very Houses.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Fadó fadó.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the Deputy will find the information very useful.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The Minister would want to go to Google more often.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Can we leave these matters behind us? Is Deputy Kerrane pressing the amendment?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Everyone is very efficient this evening.