Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members of the Seanad for their time and attention to this Bill, and their further detailed consideration of it. I thank the staff here also for their work in facilitating its effective and efficient passage. I thank all of those in the Oireachtas Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the earlier aspects of the Bill, and I thank all of the Deputies in Dail Éireann.I also thank the staff who worked so hard to bring legislation from the design stage, through the drafting aspects and then through Committee Stage and both Houses of the Oireachtas. Extensive work, time and attention were required as part of this endeavour. I thank June Fanning, Conor O'Mahony and Paul Vickers, the latter two of whom are here with us today. They put huge work into this throughout the process. I thank them both. Other members of the team have also worked closely with them and put a great amount of time into this process as well. I mention Melanie Hall, Sheila Nolan, Finbarr O'Regan and Jack Hazlitt. I thank all the team for bringing this Bill through to passage today.

It is significant legislation on two fronts. One is the introduction of a fertiliser register, which makes a great deal of sense. It means we can have full line-of-sight awareness of fertiliser use nationally, ensure it is used appropriately and proportionally, ensure we are stepping-out our sustainability agenda and ascertain that everybody uses fertiliser in the way it should be used. This is an important step forward and this was acknowledged by both Houses of the Oireachtas.

The legislation is also important in respect of the challenge facing all of us that is crucial not only to our food production but also to human health. This is the aspect of antimicrobial resistance and antiparasitic resistance. I refer to putting in place a system whereby the prescribing and management of these substances and the regime around this process will change significantly, ensuring there will be prescription and veterinary oversight of how this happens for all these products, while at the same time ensuring there is availability in the marketplace. We have much work to do, though, in addressing the significant challenges for animal and human health that have emerged in recent years and decades concerning resistance issues. That is what this legislation is aimed at. This will not be something just for this Bill to address but something that must be addressed at all policy and practice levels. We will also have to put significant effort into this area in research and education. It is crucial that these products are used effectively and that they remain effective for years and generations to come to ensure the protection of human and animal health on a one-health basis.

I thank everyone for their work and engagement. It is very much appreciated.