Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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366. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that is being made on the harmonisation of the veterinary regimes on the island of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28484/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is already a substantial degree of harmonisation of the veterinary regimes on the island of Ireland, particularly in view of the fact that the bulk of the animal health and welfare measures implemented on the island are based on EU legislation. The main objective of the North-South strategy in the animal health and welfare area is to establish equivalent internal arrangements on both sides of the Border with a view to achieving freer movement of animals and animal products within the island. There is ongoing co-operation through the dedicated working groups established under the North/South arrangements to further this objective.

With regard to those diseases which are not harmonised at EU level, I believe that the Northern Ireland decision to establish a body with a similar remit to that of Animal Health Ireland should help to progress cross-border co-operation in this area. There is clearly an all Ireland recognition of the potential to improve the competitiveness of the farming sector through tackling production diseases.