Results 7,761-7,780 of 10,843 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. McHugh referenced a 2008 report. Since then, what specific recommendations has the CCPC brought to the Government as regards the number of vets servicing customers in particular communities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I suppose this is about the definition of corporates. Mr. McHugh is talking about veterinary practices that are incorporated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am waiting for legal advice that says otherwise, but my understanding is that the Bill will not ban that practice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: It comes down to what is deemed the beneficial ownership of an incorporated entity. A vet can incorporate his or her business under this legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: My understanding is that this Bill would not be retrospectively applied. It would apply to new entrants to the market as opposed to existing practices. Would that change the CCPC's testimony to the committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Excuse me for interrupting, but Mr. McHugh just indicated that, from 2008 to 2018, the number of vets increased and the service improved. During that time, the interpretation of the legislation applied by the Veterinary Council of Ireland essentially enacted the legislation before us. We are looking at international evidence, particularly from our closest neighbours in Britain, where the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. McHugh has outlined a number of solutions. He stated: "It is the CPCC's view that enhanced legislation could instead be employed to ensure veterinary practices continue to provide a high standard". He also stated: "The CCPC’s view is that the Veterinary Practice Act 2005 could instead be amended to provide a legal basis on which the Veterinary Council of Ireland can regulate the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am asking about before the legislation came on the table. Mr. McHugh outlined three areas where the issue could be addressed. When was the last time the CCPC advised government using any of those three scenarios?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I do not know that "draconian" is an appropriate term but on the basis of the CCPC's evidence, submission and interventions in other areas relating to farmers, I think one of the C's in the authority's title should be changed to refer to a corporate protection authority. It appears to me the CCPC always goes to great lengths to protect multinational corporations at the behest of vested...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I have a question. Mr. McHugh mentioned the regulator on a number of occasions. Is he referring to the Veterinary Council of Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Has the commission discussed that with the Veterinary Council of Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: So the CCPC's solution is that a body, with which it has not discussed it, takes on additional roles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I come from a medium-sized town. It has about seven pharmacies, all very good businesses. I also represent a number of villages and smaller towns that have no pharmacies. What would the CCPC do if I were to report a village that did not have a pharmacy to it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Herein lies the problem, because Mr. McHugh mentioned pharmacies a number of times with regard to the approach we should take to veterinary practices. If an area that is currently serviced by a veterinary practice is not serviced by such a practice in the future, it means that farms will be essentially inoperable. They will not be able to operate as they do currently. Mr. McHugh has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay. Take a scenario in which an area is currently being serviced by a couple of vets and a new entity driven by profit moves into the area. The vets who are operating are working for a non-vet whose objective is profit-making and they undercut the existing vets in the areas that are most profitable, usually small animal care, and increase charges for large animal care to the extent the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. McHugh has missed my point entirely. Maybe it was my articulation of it. We have looked at the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which has adjudicated on this scenario, which has become widespread there. We have seen what happened in Britain, which apparently has not formed any part of the commission's deliberation. There is a need to analyse how vets currently operate and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank the witnesses for attending and for their engagement on this issue. I will start where Ms Muldoon finished and ask her to explain matters to me as someone who does not fully understand how this works. She stated that the council ensured "the highest standards of veterinary medicine in the regulation and management of the professions." Is it the case that, as Deputy Cahill said, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I know all of that, but I am trying to get to the actual regulation. I am sure such cases are few and far between, but what about instances of alleged misconduct or breaches of the regulations or legislation? The council would investigate the individual vet in such an instance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: As with any business, there is the potential for a systems failure, particularly when dealing with antibiotics. The entity would be at fault as opposed to the vet. I am seeking clarification of Deputy Cahill's point. When the beneficial owner of the entity is not a vet, what can the Veterinary Council do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Oct 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am not asking about ownership, but about responsibility. If the responsibility is a corporate one, to use that term, because there has been a systems failure within the business, the owner would be ultimately responsibility in most other sectors. If four or five vets were operating in an entity but the beneficial owner who was responsible was not a vet, what recourse would the council have?