Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was the one who was sighing to whom the previous speaker referred. Before I say what I rose to speak about I must say that as far as I and most members of the Fine Gael Party are concerned, there is no lap of honour. The Taoiseach has never sought that kind of admiration. He has always put the country first. In the next few months the Taoiseach has an agenda for Brexit and he will work to that, as he has always done. He has always put the country first.

I wish to raise the review of the regional veterinary offices currently being undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In particular, I wish to speak about the regional veterinary office in Coosan, Athlone. This office, like others around the country, provides a very valuable service to the farming community in the midlands, such as determining the cause of death of livestock, in addition to monitoring the potential spread of infectious diseases. That is not only of value to farmers but to the population at large. Protecting the safety of food and the interests of consumers is at the core of the agrifood industry in this country. I spoke recently in this House about rural development and central to that concept is the sustainable development of a competitive farming and consumer-focused agrifood business which contributes to the vibrant rural economy and society. That is the reason I would like the Minister to come to the House to outline his plans for the service. In particular, I wish to ask him to consider the strategically important location of the Athlone office and urge him to assure us that it will remain in operation.

I understand that it is important that we regularly analyse what we are doing in order to improve services and to ensure we get the best value for taxpayers' money. However, we must ensure that any decision on the future of the regional laboratory service is made on the basis of objective criteria such as cost benefit or strategic location and not on the basis of pressure from sectoral groups or regional interests. The laboratory in Coosan, Athlone, and its staff are of the highest standard and are well placed to provide a professional service to the midlands and further afield. Therefore, I ask the Acting Leader to invite the Minister to come to the House to clarify his position and ask him to assure us that the laboratory in Athlone will remain in place.