Results 7,461-7,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: I am trying to be non-party political on the legislation. That was the approach in the Seanad, where I took on board amendments, and I intend to take on board amendments on Committee Stage where appropriate. I have no problem with spending as long as it takes to go through the Bill, section by section, and listening to what Members have to say. In an effort to be helpful I will say that I...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: I am not responsible for doctors.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: There is something in there being an onus on a person to seek advice. My fear is about what would happen if a cattle truck were involved in a crash and a decision to put down animals had to be made quickly because animals had lost limbs or whatever. I have seen that happen when I was on a train that ran into a herd of cattle. The animals must be put down quickly, but one needs also an...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: I do not want for it to be said in a couple of years that animals could not be put down because a vet could not be contacted for a half hour or more. The provision does not intend to downgrade the advice of vets - quite the opposite. Perhaps we should examine the situation of an authorised officer having to seek the advice of a vet and, where he or she cannot contact a vet, the authorised...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: The Deputy is right that it would happen like that in 99 cases out of 100.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Which they can do. They do not have to be an authorised officer. There is a clear distinction between an authorised officer and a vet, not necessarily in this legislation but in the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Act, which upgraded the legislation in this area in recent months. There is a clear distinction between what vets and veterinary nurses can and cannot do in terms of treatments,...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: I will examine it. I want to leave the option open in case one cannot get a vet on the end of telephone line. What if a problem arose at 2 a.m.?
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: At that time one is not going to text images of an animal and wait for an assessment. One must make a decision in a pretty messy and difficult situation.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Is the Deputy referring to amendment No. 72?
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: This refers to where there is a risk of disease or a disease agent that may be present on land or premises. The amendment requires that: "The power conferred on an authorised officer under subsection (4)(a) and (b) may only be exercised by an inspector of the Minister." The Deputies want to ensure that it is someone from the Department rather than someone from a local authority. Is that...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: The amendment is linked to the Deputy's previous amendment that an inspector of the Minister would be a vet. Is that correct?
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: In most instances this concern will arise where there is an inspection on a farm regarding cross-compliance or single farm payment or whatever. Where the authorised officer who is inspecting sees something in a herd that suggests there may be a significant disease problem, the legislation enables that officer to act on that. That is a practical and likely scenario. If an authorised officer...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: That is correct.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: They can do more than that and it is important to clarify that. A large element of the legislation is about preventing the spread of disease, which is in everybody's interest, particularly the agricultural sector. Section 38(4) states: Where an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that- the officer may, in addition to the powers exercisable by him or her under...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Amendment No. 72 states, "The power conferred on an authorised officer under subsection (4)(a)and (b)" which refers to the reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk of disease-----
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Simon Coveney: Amendment No. 72 continues. "....may only be exercised by an inspector of the Minister" which the Deputies propose to be a vet. I can understand why the Deputies have tabled the amendment but it would have a knock-on consequence for ports and inspectors who are on a farm when they come across a matter that needs to be addressed. I do not suggest that a vet will not be involved in putting in...