Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed that proposed new EU regulations on animal medicines (details supplied) will lead to significant additional costs for farmers; when it is intended to make the required amendments to the animal remedies regulations; if she intends to designate pharmacists as suitably qualified professionals for prescribing purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17383/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she intends to introduce the regulations covering POMs of animal remedies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17296/05]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans for the introduction of regulations covering animal remedy POMs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17297/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 86 and 98 together.

My Department is currently engaged in drafting legislation to transpose EU Directive 2004/28, which is the new framework legislation governing the veterinary medicines regime across Europe. The deadline for transposition is 30 October 2005.

The EU legislation includes a general provision that all veterinary medicines for food producing animals should be brought under veterinary prescription control. Arising from difficulties expressed during the negotiations of the EU measure by Ireland and a small number of other member states, an exemption clause was included in the directive which provides a mechanism for specific categories of medicines to be excluded from the mandatory prescription requirement. Decisions at EU level on exemptions are required to be taken by 1 January 2007, pending which existing national distribution arrangements may remain in place.

I am aware of the concerns which have been expressed here in Ireland about the potential cost implications for farmers of restricting all medicines to veterinary prescription control. However, final decisions have yet to be taken and Ireland's approach to the exemption mechanism is to try to keep certain medicines, including certain vaccines, available off prescription. In the interim, farmers will continue to be able to get these products without having to obtain a prescription and, given this situation, the need to extend the range of prescribers to include, for example, pharmacists does not arise.