Sean Barrett (Independent)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 5, to delete lines 33 to 38.

According to the explanatory memorandum, this section deals with the new provision to enable the Veterinary Council of Ireland, with the consent of the Minister, by regulation to make indemnity insurance mandatory for specified types of veterinary practice. The requirement will not, however, apply to practitioners in respect of official duties.

Part of what got the country into the situation it is in is moral hazard. Why were we exempting people from the consequences of unsatisfactory performance of their duties by not having to carry insurance? The State needs to borrow money. Veterinary professionals are educated at substantial expense by the State. We heard from the Higher Education Authority this morning that the veterinary course is the most expensive among all courses. A previous Member of the House, T.K. Whitaker, said that the disease eradication programme was one of the biggest financial scandals in the history of the State, and that was in his time. We have had some other whoppers since. A fine of €100 million was imposed on Ireland for malpractice in the meat trade, which people tell me could not have been imposed were it not for the connivance of the veterinary profession. If we do not hold these people liable and they hold their own insurance, the burden goes to the Minister, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, and society as a whole. The exemption of vets acting in their official capacity from the requirement to carry insurance for indemnity purposes is wrong in the circumstances. Even if we were not in financial difficulty I would still argue that people who are professionally trained to a high standard should bear the consequences of their mistakes.

On 29 and 30 September 2008 I would have said the same to the bankers who were knocking on Government doors. People have to take responsibility for their actions. It is too easy to say that the Exchequer and the national debt will reimburse everybody for ever. It is part of our new acceptance of responsibility in the new Ireland that we take responsibility to buy insurance to cover malpractice for indemnity purposes.