Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the event that his Department is unable to meet the demand for veterinary inspectors required to carry out the necessary controls and inspections relating to the live export industry and in particular exports to Northern Ireland, if he will consider outsourcing the veterinary certification of cattle at point of exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9250/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Private veterinary practitioners are already widely used by my Department to carry out functions in the veterinary area. Any proposal to increase the role of private veterinary practitioners in respect of functions currently carried out by veterinarians employed full time by my Department would be considered in a situation where my Department had insufficient staff to fulfil its existing obligations.