Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday I asked the Leader to make time available for a debate on agriculture. In his reply he stated that I could perhaps draft a questions which could be forwarded to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney. While I accept that the Minister has been generous in giving of his time to come before the House, it is not acceptable that we should be obliged to put questions in writing when there are very serious issues at play on the entire western seaboard and in other parts of the country in the context of commonage.

Reports emerged this morning which cast doubt over the future of the regional veterinary laboratories in places such as Sligo, where I live, Kilkenny, Athlone, Cork, etc. The reports to which I refer indicate that the idea is to centralise the system relating to blood tests. One could understand why a rationalisation of this nature would be pursued if it led to a reduction in the costs incurred by farmers. However, many of the laboratories to which I refer are involved in many more activities than just carrying out blood tests. For example, they test other samples - a service farmers require in order to do their business - carry out post mortems on deceased animals in order to determine which diseases may be becoming more prevalent again and so on. If the plan to close the laboratories comes to fruition, it will lead to farmers on the western seaboard being marginalised even further.

I ask the Acting Leader, who has an interest in agriculture, to ascertain the position with regard to the review that is being carried out in respect of this matter. Will she endeavour to discover whether it is proposed to close the regional veterinary laboratories to which I refer? Will she report back to the House on this matter as early as next week, if possible? Pending a debate on this matter - which the Leader of the House might facilitate - if anything needs to be put in writing in order to obtain a quicker reply, perhaps the Acting Leader might frame the relevant request on my behalf. When Members of the House seek debates, they are entitled to be facilitated.