Joe O'Toole (Independent)

A current television advertisement for one of the pension companies which shows a vet out in the middle of the night captures my image of friends who are veterinary surgeons. It is superb.

The Minister should recognise the issue that was missing from her speech, namely, that we have a duty to win the trust and confidence of the veterinary profession in this legislation. We need ordinary members of the veterinary profession around the country to accept the legislation and make it work. I am sure they will. I want them to buy into it. The Minister should meet representatives of the profession before Committee Stage to listen to their views and to see how many of them we can take on board.

I have looked closely at the membership of the board and I know the intuitive response is that there should not be a majority of vets — or people elected by the veterinary profession — on the board. I do not know if that is the case, however. In this type of situation where they want to keep their profession as a high-profile and well-regarded one, I would trust them absolutely.

I welcome the movement to extend the register in a controlled fashion to limited registration in some cases, as well as including the organisation of veterinary nurses. That is crucially important. The examples provided in the Minister's speech are very effective. Senator Coonan raised important points as to the various functions in which veterinary nurses can become involved. That issue is one of concern. I am not sure if it can be covered word for word in the legislation. The Bill refers to the administration of anaesthetics but does that include putting down a seriously ill animal that is in pain? Is that giving an anaesthetic or is it humane killing?