Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she intends to publish the ministerial order to implement the EU animal medicines directive; when this must be implemented under EU law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12663/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Work has commenced in my Department on the transposition of EU Directive 2004/28, which is the revised EU legislation governing veterinary medicines. This exercise will involve ongoing technical liaison with the Irish Medicines Board on aspects with particular operational implications for that body.

The deadline stipulated in the directive for transposition into national law is 30 October 2005, which is also the date for implementation of the majority of its provisions. However, the directive specifically provides that existing national rules relating to certain distribution aspects, particularly the veterinary prescription arrangements for medicines for food producing animals, may remain in place until 1 January 2007 or until exemption criteria have been adopted, whichever is the earlier.

It is the intention of my Department to comply with the deadline of 30 October 2005 for the transposition of the directive. The draft statutory instrument will be brought before the animal remedies consultative committee in sufficient time to meet this deadline.