Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for their participation in the debate and I note the general support for the legislation. Contrary to what people think, there was consultation, some of which was informal. I met the council late on Tuesday night. This Bill has been in gestation for ten years. It has been with the Attorney General for three years and we spoke and thought about it for a considerable number of years prior to that. It is often the case that only when a Bill comes to the floor of the House, organisations begin to see what is in it. That is when they make representations to Oireachtas Members. I assume some of the issues raised by Senators have come from such organisations because they are exactly those which have already been brought to my attention. I have no problem with that process. If further consultation must be engaged in, we will do so. However, I want to carry it out in a structured manner so that ten years do not pass before the legislation is completed.

There is some cross-over in the Senators' comments about the make-up of the council and the number of veterinary practitioners represented. Senator Paddy Burke is correct that farmers can be involved with the council, however, I will not put a member of each farming organisation on the new veterinary council. The Bill provides for an exception whereby two persons who are not eligible to be registered but one at least of whom avails of veterinary services in the course of business, trade or his or her profession, may become members. This covers farming but I take on board the Senator's views. However, I do not want to be specific in suggesting that the representatives should be from the ICMSA, ICOS or the IFA because I must be fair to them all. Nevertheless, as the Senator pointed out, they are recipients of veterinary practice and are equally entitled to be involved as the Food Safety Authority, as referred to by Senator Quinn.

Senators have re-enforced the fact that a tremendous veterinary profession exists in Ireland and there is recognition of veterinary nurses. The supervision of veterinary practise has been raised as has the issue of emergency attention about which one must be practical. For example, as a former Minister with responsibility for the islands, I am aware that it is not possible to get a vet to an island in the middle of the night. The issue of the fitness to practise and education committees has been raised in which respect I acknowledge Senator O'Toole's experience and will take his views into consideration.

The diagnostic aspect of veterinary medicine will not change in that the only person who can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment is a registered veterinary practitioner. However, the interpretation of the legislation may include veterinary nurses and their practice, an issue which I will examine further. Given the concerns raised by Senators and because I want to review the issues, I respectfully request that we put back Committee Stage of the Bill for some time in order to perhaps reconfigure some aspects to ensure it is as effective as possible.

The organisation is self-financing and it sets its own fees but I acknowledge Senators' points about additional qualifications about which we can perhaps have further discussions with it. I do not want to be seen to be issuing diktats to a self-financing regulatory organisation because it would be beyond my competence to interfere. However, given that we propose to change the ethos of the council, the issues raised in regard to accountability and so on are very important. Some very constructive points have been raised, many of which concur with mine, and the issues are not insurmountable. Therefore, it is important to have more time to reflect upon them. In reply to a Senator's specific question, there is a two-term limit to a person's entitlement to remain on the council.

I reflected upon Senator O'Toole's question as to why Oireachtas Members were not allowed to sit on these boards and I acknowledge that, when I was a backbencher, I wholeheartedly agreed with him. The Leader of the House also had problems with the VEC Bill when this same issue was debated ad infinitum. The electorate, represented by the House, will examine the council. Other Senators mentioned that there had been some changes in this regard to other Bills, an issue which I wish to examine further.

Thank goodness people wish to participate on the Veterinary Council because one will often receive no credit, less thanks and much bother for being a member of such an organisation and it is often not worth it. I appreciate that Senators have read the Bill and, like me, have had an opportunity to consult with the representative organisations. I would like to reflect further on these issues, some of which are legal questions about which I will have to take further advice from the Attorney General. On that basis, we may have to review some of the issues raised by Senators and I may contemplate introducing amendments.

I thank the Seanad for affording me the opportunity of getting a first taste of what people want from the Bill and for Senators' sincere comments. I hope we will have an excellent Bill when we conclude Committee, Report and Final Stages.