Written answers

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

Department of Agriculture and Food

Veterinary Services

12:00 pm

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 552: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is not a veterinary service available to deal with livestock welfare emergencies in an area (details supplied) in County Donegal; the steps he will take to provide cover for farmers in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27786/09]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware, given that veterinary practices are primarily commercial entities, their locations are driven by commercial realities and as such I do not have a direct involvement in the issue referred to by the Deputy.

However, insofar as official regulation impacts on this area of activity, I can point to a number of measures contained in Animal Remedies regulations which should help to alleviate difficulties which may arise in certain parts of the country as a result of an inadequate veterinary service. Under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, there is a provision which for the first time enables the Veterinary Council to recognise qualifications from applicants in Third Countries generally. This, taken with the enlargement of the EU, will make for improved availability of practitioners to meet shortfalls that may arise on the supply side, particularly in areas such as that referred to by the Deputy.

Furthermore, in regard to treatments, in recent years my Department has, within the limited room for manoeuvre afforded by EU legislation, adapted national medicines legislation to address practical problems, including the ready availability of veterinary practitioners. For example, we have progressively, since 2005, afforded greater flexibility to farmers and their vets to make practical and mutually convenient arrangements for veterinary cover for their animals. This has been achieved by giving the vet much greater scope than heretofore to decide, on the basis of his/her professional judgement, the situations where animals must be physically examined prior to prescribing. The current legal requirement is that the vet must, as a minimum, have visited the farm concerned once within the previous twelve months before prescribing 'prescription only' medicines for animals on that farm. In addition, whereas previously vets could only prescribe for one month, they are now allowed, in appropriate circumstances, to prescribe for up to one year. This latter facility enables farmers and their vets to work out prospective treatment requirements for the season and for the farmer to get a prescription which can be dispensed as and when the need arises.

I recognise, of course, that emergency situations also arise where an unforeseen serious problem with an animal can give rise to welfare issues. Existing legislation provides that, in an emergency situation, a person, other than a vet, may treat an animal and a pharmacist may supply 'prescription only' medicines (including antibiotics) on the basis of a verbal communication from the vet concerned; in such situations, the vet is required to supply a written prescription with 72 hours. Also in circumstances of emergency animal welfare issues arising on farms, Veterinary Inspectors from my Department's District Veterinary Offices have powers to deal with such emergencies including the provision of emergency care and feeding of welfare-compromised farm animals.

In summary, my Department has made vigorous efforts over the years to address practical problems which may arise from the unavailability of a veterinary service in particular areas and the changes made to animal remedies regulations should go a long way to ameliorate these problems.

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