Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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789. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if veterinary medicinal products are covered by the Irish Protocol of the UK Withdrawal Agreement; if not, the time at which any grace periods relating to them will expire; the position on the impact of such; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57851/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since Ireland’s membership of the EEC in 1973 we have enjoyed a largely common market for veterinary medicinal products with many UK medicines authorised as EU or Reference Member State products.

As the UK is no longer within the EU as a result of Brexit, such veterinary products can no longer legally be freely accessed or traded. Part of the ongoing Brexit and NI Protocol negotiations allowed for exemptions in respect veterinary medicine products until 31st December 2022.

My Department, the Health Products Regulatory Authority and the Department of Foreign Affairs are in regular communication with relevant stakeholders including our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the EU in identifying specific animal health or welfare issues that might arise and options for the continued delivery of critical veterinary medicinal products on the island as a whole.