Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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253. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review and update current veterinary medicines regulations to permit the legal use of sarcoid cream as an evidence-based treatment for equine skin conditions in line with international best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55616/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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254. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider aligning Irish veterinary medicines regulations with those in Northern Ireland and other EU member states in the interest of regulatory consistency across the island of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55617/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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255. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that sarcoid cream (details supplied) has been safely and effectively used by equine veterinarians worldwide for over three decades; and the scientific or regulatory rationale for continuing to prohibit its use in Ireland. [55618/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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257. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has assessed the reputational and financial impact on the Irish equine sector of prohibiting products such as sarcoid cream that are recognised as standard treatments internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55620/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 253, 254, 255 and 257 together.

I propose to take Questions 55616/25, 55617/25, 55618/25 and 55620/25 together.

The use of veterinary medicines in Ireland is governed by EU Regulation 2019/6 and is directly applicable throughout the EU. In order for a product, such as the one referred to, to be used in Ireland it must be authorised either nationally or centrally at EU level. If no such product is available and in order to alleviate unnecessary suffering of animals, Regulation 2019/6 provides for the possibility to import other products under a licencing system operated by my Department, commonly referred to as 'the Cascade'. Under this system a vet can apply to import a product that is not not nationally or centrally authorised, but must select the highest available option from the following:

(i) a product authorised in their own or another Member State for another food-producing species;

(ii) a product authorised in their own or another Member State for a non food-producing species;

(iii) a human medicine

(iv) an extemporaneous product prepared in accordance with a veterinary prescription.

(v) a product authorised in a 3rd country for the same animal species and the same indication.

Applications are considered on a case by case basis taking the above criteria into account.