Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The amendment is necessary to alter the definition of companion animals. It sets out that the animals concerned are to be kept for domestic purposes only. This is to ensure, by way of an example, that when the Bill applies to companion animals we are not putting dogs that are used in racing or breeding or animals kept in a zoo into that category.

I will speak to the rest of the grouping now, if I may. Amendments No. 3 is necessary to allow me to make regulations about a specific category of animals, such as companion animals, as well as animals generally. The purpose of amendment No. 4 is to add clarity to the subsection. Amendment No. 6 is necessary to clarify that this subsection refers to a pharmacist operating from a retail pharmacy business. Amendments Nos. 8 and 9 are necessary to align and dovetail section 4(5)(b) and section 4(6)(e) regarding registration on the database. They are ambiguous as they currently stand and these amendments will bring clarity to the wording of the subsections. Amendment No. 10 is necessary to provide additional clarity for people not familiar with veterinary medicinal legislation such as users of companion animal medicines. Amendment No. 11 is necessary to clarify that products that may be permitted under Article 110 on the use of immunological veterinary medicinal products or Article 116 on the use of veterinary medicinal products not authorised in a member state but where the marketing of such products is authorised in another member state, will require a derogation from Article 106 (1) of EU regulation 2019/6 to require that they are veterinary medicinal products only and are not human medicinal products used to treat animals which is permitted elsewhere. Amendment No.12 deals with a grammatical issue, while amendment No. 13 is a technical amendment that removes the need to declare penal provisions in any draft regulations made under section 32 as required under section 4(3). Amendment No. 14 is necessary to set out the sections under which a fixed-payment notice may issue. Amendment No. 15 is necessary to remove unnecessary wording without changing the function of the text.