Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for their wide-ranging and well-thought-out contributions, which I will certainly take on board. I wish to recap on some of the key objectives. One of the main objectives of the Bill is to ensure that the recently introduced EU legislation, which I gave effect to earlier this year with the enactment of SI 36/2022, European Union (Veterinary Medicinal Products and Medicated Feed) Regulations 2022, could be implemented in international law. The Bill before the House is, therefore, an important part of that objective. I am also conscious of the views expressed by Senators today and the views of stakeholders throughout the extensive engagement process and the consultation I have had with them on this legislation as to the importance of ensuring that end users of veterinary medicinal products continue to have choice as to where they purchase certain products. We have had considerable engagement on that over some time to reach what I believe I can be a balanced outcome.

I am focused on ensuring that a competitive marketplace for the sale and supply of veterinary medicinal products continues into the future. All existing stakeholders in this area, be they veterinarians, co-ops, licensed merchants or pharmacists, will continue to have a role on this aspect ensuring competition and choice for the farmer. I am keenly aware of the impact that additional costs can have on farmers especially in the times we are currently in. I am confident of achieving the objectives of this Bill and the overarching EU regulations will in fact reduce costs on farm through reduced but more effective use of veterinary medicinal products.

I have given great consideration to the upgrading by the Health Products Regulatory Authority of antiparasitic veterinary medicines to prescription-only medicines. It has given rise to much debate during our stakeholder engagements, with the Oireachtas committee and in the Dáil. I am fully committed to the stated aims of protecting against both antiparasitic and antimicrobial resistance to protect human health importantly, while ensuring our farmers have products that work on their animals that in turn lead to healthier animals and long-term benefits for the farmer, for agribusiness in Ireland and indeed for the environment. I am committed to appropriate and proper prescribing of veterinary medicines. I also want to ensure the maximum availability of outlets for farmers to ensure competition through the existing veterinary medicine retail network in the face of the change in route of supply of antiparasitic veterinary medicinal products. I am committed to keeping all the current supply lines open.

I have also included a provision in section 6 to allow me to bring in secondary legislation that will set out the requirements for a proper assessment for the prescribing of certain medicines by a veterinary practitioner as provided for in the EU regulations. I intend to bring in a regulation to set out those requirements necessary to undertake a proper assessment in order to permit a veterinary practitioner to prescribe antiparasitic veterinary medicinal products. I take this opportunity to reiterate a critical point, namely, that veterinary practitioners will have a reserved right to prescribe such veterinary medicines.

This is a complex matter and I must guard against potential unintended consequences. The focus of my officials will now turn to developing these requirements in consultation with relevant stakeholders. I recognise the need to ring-fence the amendment to non-therapeutic treatment of animals as I am cognisant of the duties and professional responsibilities of veterinary practitioners and the value they bring to their clients. I assure them it is not the intention now or in the future to interfere with the need for veterinary intervention in therapeutic matters.

On the introduction of the national veterinary prescription system, it is my belief that in years to come we will look back at this moment as a turning point in Ireland's battle against antimicrobial and antiparasitic resistance. The level of potential insights available to all parties through the collection of veterinary prescription and dispensing data and the use of veterinary medicines will be invaluable for future policy direction.The system will provide for the digitalisation of an historical set of practices and will provide greater options to the farming community on where and when they obtain their medications for animal welfare.

It is also hugely important to remember the greater regulatory oversight, via the national veterinary prescription system on the use of veterinary medication, has on the capacity to uniquely separate Ireland's agrifood producers to other EU nations when seeking access to international markets and this will be vitally important in the continued growth of our nationwide sector.

With regard to matters raised during the Second Stage debate in respect of fertilisers, I will comment on a number of significant issues that have been raised in the Seanad and the Dáil. In the Dáil, a particular issue around North-South trade was mentioned by some Deputies. I know that some Senators have taken on board that I reiterated in the Dáil there are no provisions in the Bill that will disrupt cross-Border trade. The trade in fertilisers will continue. Farmers are free to purchase fertiliser from outside the State, as they have been up to now. The only additional requirement will be that such transactions are imports and farmers buying from Northern Ireland, as an example, will have to register as a fertiliser economic operator. The Department will include on-site inspections as part of its compliance verification programme, including risk-based on-farm inspections and inspections at an importer and merchant level, to confirm that accuracy of information being loaded onto the database.

Concerns have also been raised about data protection. I assure the House that my Department has taken the steps necessary to ensure the data collected under this Bill will comply with all aspects of data protection regulations, rules and requirements. The robust data-sharing provisions in the legislation will allow the specific sharing of data with other bodies to achieve environmental and sustainability targets to be fully in line with the general data protection regulation and other data legislation.

I thank the Members of the Seanad for their engagement. I look forward to Committee Stage and the remaining Stages.