Results 18,181-18,200 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: That is a fair point and I accept what the Minister has said except that sections 38(4)(a) and (b) should include the requirement to seek veterinary advice immediately. In other words, it should be absolutely clear that this is a temporary solution until veterinary advice is available. I do not want it to be in any way decisive.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: I appreciate that.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Quickly.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: If a train ran into cattle and someone thought the animals should be put down, I would put a pound to a penny that the person would know where to get a vet a hell of a lot quicker than to get an authorised officer. The vet would reach the scene or be on the end of a telephone line to authorise the killing a long time before an authorised officer would be.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The answer to the question should be that if a person is in that much of a rush, any veterinary surgeon should be allowed to order the killing of the animals, or do the killing themselves, rather than an authorised officer because they would be much more likely to reach the scene quickly.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: My colleagues and I have suggested that section 23(2), which states: "If an authorised officer, a veterinary practitioner acting as such" should read: "If an authorised officer acting on the advice of a veterinary surgeon". There is always a get out of jail clause that Ministers can cater for extreme situations by using in legislation the terms "where practicable" or "as far as is...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: We must move this issue into the 21st century. I have no problem with an additional clause being inserted indicating that advice can be given on site by telephone or electronic means. One could ring up a vet, he or she asks a few questions and then issues advice. As the Minister knows, that happens all the time in extreme and urgent situations. If a vet does not know the answer, he or she...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The same happens in medicine when doctors are not on site. An X-ray can now be viewed online. There are all sorts of ways these things are done. Perhaps the Minister would be willing to re-examine the issue. We will leave the amendment on the list and return to the issue on Report Stage.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: We should make an allowance for an authorised officer knowing the vets in his or her area and having their mobile telephone numbers. That is basic information for them to have. Vets are on call 24-7, year round.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: That is 365 days of the year, not for 364 days.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: I raised another issue about a risk of disease. The legislation states that an authorised officer, for whom no particular technical qualifications or at least only very general specifications are laid down in the legislation, can decide there is a risk of disease and without that officer seeking any technical advice.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: How can somebody without a technical qualification say there is a risk of a disease?
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: There are a number of amendments. Let us go back over it again. I believe amendments Nos. 1 and 4 are needed because some of the other amendments that hinge on them are necessary. In other words, we need to differentiate legally between an inspector and an authorised officer. I still believe there are some functions that should only be carried out by persons with the competent veterinary...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: If he was, he would get rid of the crisis in the health service.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: If it is the Minister's amendment he speaks first.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: On a point of order, is it not normal procedure for the proposers of an amendment to speak first, explain their reasons for tabling it and the Minister then to reply?
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: No. He said the Minister was right to reply first-----
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2012)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The normal procedure-----