Oireachtas agri committee to grill stakeholders on vet medicines bill
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, and Food will hear from stakeholder bodies in the veterinary sector this week on the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Act 2023.
The committee will meet today (Wednesday, June 11) from 3:30p.m for an examination of the impacts of the bill. The meeting will take place in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House.
From 3:30p.m to 4:20p.m representatives from Merchants Alliance Ireland will address the Oireachtas committee.
Merchants Alliance Ireland was formed by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), the Irish Licensed Merchants Association (ILMA) and Acorn Independent Merchants, to represent mutually shared interests on areas of joint concern for the agricultural merchants and retail sector.
The representatives addressing the meeting will include Ray Doyle, livestock and environmental services executive for ICOS, as well as Barry Larkin, Terence O'Shea, and Ollie Ryan.
Then from 4:20p.m to 5:10p.m the committee will hear from officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
These officials will include Bill Callanan, the department's chief inspector, as well as officials from the department's veterinary section.
Finally, from 5:10p.m, the committee will hear from representatives from both the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI), which regulates veterinary medicine in Ireland, and Veterinary Ireland, which represents the veterinary profession.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Oireachtas committee chairperson, Fianna Fáil Cork North-West TD Aindrias Moynihan, said: 'Our committee moves focus and welcomes representatives from the Merchants Alliance Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Veterinary Council of Ireland and Veterinary Ireland to examine the impacts of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Act 2023.
'This act aims to update regulations on veterinary medicines, medicated feed, and fertilisers and looks to improve animal health, reduce antimicrobial resistance, and enhance regulatory oversight in the veterinary sector,' Moynihan said.
Some of the main issues that will be discussed at the committee this evening include:
The National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS), a database to record veterinary prescriptions, allowing people responsible for animals to purchase medicines from authorised dispensers;
Responsible use of antimicrobials, including restrictions on prophylactic use and requirements for metaphylaxis prescriptions;
Licensing and enforcement, including new licensing requirements and enforcement measures to ensure compliance.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food has 14 members, nine TDs and five senators.
The membership of the committee is as follows:
TDs: Aindrias Moynihan (chairperson) – Cork North-West, Fianna Fáil; William Aird (deputy chairperson) – Laois, Fine Gael; Peter 'Chap' Cleere – Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fáil; Joe Cooney – Clare, Fine Gael; Michael Fitzmaurice – Roscommon-Galway, Independent Ireland; Danny Healy-Rae – Kerry, independent; Martin Kenny – Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Féin; Paul Lawless – Mayo, Aontú; Natasha Newsome Drennan – Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Féin.
Senators (all elected from Agricultural Panel): Victor Boyhan – independent; Paraic Brady – Fine Gael; Joanne Collins – Sinn Féin; Paul Daly – Fianna Fáil; Eileen Lynch – Fine Gael.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on planning in Ireland: vital clarity must be restored
An Coimisiún Pleanála was quietly ushered into existence last week. The Minster for Housing, James Browne, formally established the body which has taken of the role of An Bord Pleanála, the previous appeals body for planning applications. It had lost the confidence of the public and the previous government amidst serious governance failures and lengthy planning delays. The establishment of the new commission comes as a worrying sense of drift envelopes this Government's efforts to address the seemingly intractable shortage of housing. The lengthy gestation of the new body is in itself evidence of a seeming lack of urgency. The Planning and Development Bill which created it was was first brought before the Dáil in November 2023, but was only passed by the Oireachtas last October. That was an inexcusably long time, even allowing for committee debate. It took another six months for the minster to commence the section relating to the planning commission. Many other measures remain to be commenced. The costs of such delay are clear for all to see. The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office - published last Friday - show that residential construction activity is falling. READ MORE Paul Reid, a former head of both Fingal County Council and the Health Service Executive has been appointed chairman of the governing body of the new commission. He would seem well qualified to meet the challenges of leading the new body. The biggest is restoring public, political and industry confidence in the speed and clarity of the planning process which rightly carries much of the blame for the housing shortage. The new statutory targets that have now been set for decisions on planning cases including critical infrastructure projects for transport, water, grid and energy as well large-scale residential developments , need to be met. For that to happen the new body will have to get the resources it needs when it needs them. If it doesn't, then the new commission risks being seen as little more than old wine in a new bottle.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
The Sunday Independent's View: Time is running out for the Government to get a grip on housing
For the Government, it offers an opportunity for reflection as it nears the halfway stage of its own first year. What has been achieved since coming into office again in January? The administration has been accused of seeming less like a new broom than a threadbare old brush; not so much sweeping clean as brushing the country's problems under a rug to be tidied up later. But defenders of the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael-led Coalition would no doubt argue it has been faced with a series of obstacles since the start of the year, most notably the still unresolved threat of tariffs from Donald Trump. There is also the worsening international situation, which last week saw Ireland join other countries in pulling embassy staff from Iran as the conflict with Israel continues. These, however, are matters with which all our partners are having to deal. It is no excuse for not dealing robustly with domestic matters. The legislation programme for the summer term of the Oireachtas lists a number of bills as a priority, including the Defence (Amendment) Bill which will remove the so-called triple-lock on Irish troops serving abroad, as well as measures tackling air pollution, cyber security and terrorism. All important matters, no question about it. The logjam in planning and services is well documented But none directly addresses the deepest issue confronting the country: that is, of course, the lack of supply, and crippling cost, of housing. Last week there was more bad news as the Central Bank revised downward its forecast for the number of houses that will be built between now and 2027 — also the midway point of the 34th Dáil, a date which the Government may find itself careening towards at an alarming pace. This year, it now expects 32,500 homes to be built, well short of what is needed to make a significant dent in the target of 300,000 by 2030. The logjam in planning and services is well documented. Historically, it has often felt as if Irish bureaucracy stymies rather than stimulates innovation. No wonder we lag far behind comparable EU states when it comes to infrastructure. The apparent lack of urgency to break through these roadblocks remains a bigger concern. The Government already seems to have retreated into explaining rather than doing, as if seeking to justify in advance the failure to meet its own target, which it has already accepted is inevitable. The appointment of the former HSE chief executive as chair of the newly revamped An Coimisiún Pleanála may make a difference. If anyone has experience of cutting through red tape, it is Paul Reid. Health is another area where much-needed change sadly comes a cropper. Ministers must act swiftly to hand him the power to green-light the infrastructure projects needed to house an estimated population of six million by 2040. No other achievements by this Government will be worth a penny candle if the crisis in housing does not ease dramatically. The summer recess is set to begin less than a month from now, on July 18. When TDs and senators return in September, all eyes will be on the presidential election and it will be the winter solstice before we know it. It is still not too late to get a grip on housing, but it soon might be if more time is wasted.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
‘It is wrong' – Ceann Comhairle urged to meet Oireachtas broadcast staff working on ‘contract basis'
In a letter, party whip Paul McAuliffe suggested she meet the Oireachtas staff who manage broadcasts of Dáil, Seanad and committee proceedings as soon as possible to resolve their grievances. He said he was writing on behalf of Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members in relation to the workers' pay and conditions and an upcoming contract review for their employer, PI Communications. Political pressure has ramped up for the workers who claim some earn around €12,000 a year and have no income during summer and Christmas breaks. In the letter sent on June 17, Mr McAuliffe said members of the Dáil were asked to sign a petition to support this group of 'essential workers'. 'It seems extraordinary that this group are only employed on a contract basis,' he said. 'It is not as if their work is temporary as it is through their good work that all of the Dáil's deliberations, debate and discussions get communicated to all of the public. 'This is crucial work for every elected representative and goes to the core of our democracy.' He said it is crucial and 'only fair' that their grievances are addressed as soon as possible. Mr McAuliffe told the Irish Independent it is up to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to make a decision, as it tenders for the service, and the ceann comhairle is the chair. 'I believe it is wrong that these staff are not on the same terms as other who contribute to the parliamentary community, including ushers and catering staff,' he said. ADVERTISEMENT A PI Comms spokesperson said it provides a range of video and streaming services to public and private sector organisations of which the Houses of the Oireachtas is one. He said the company is contracted on a pay per public minute model for coverage of live proceedings and can only bill for broadcasts that are capable of public transmission. The spokesperson said all part-time employees in this group have a guaranteed entitlement to a fixed amount of work each full sitting week, certainty of income for their contracted work, and are free to work on other projects or for other employers. He said they earn substantially more than the national living wage, with attractive bonus arrangements, and get paid leave and sick pay. They are eligible to enrol in pension schemes, have collective agreements that are recognised, and are provided with training and other staff benefits, he added. 'Furthermore, all salaries and payments are regularly benchmarked and are commensurate with roles, skills, experience and responsibilities,' he said. He said the company is currently engaged in trade union negotiations with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission. 'We operate in a very competitive sector and are immensely proud of both the service and value we provide our clients and the access, opportunity and supports we provide to our valued staff, many of whom are also engaged in roles for other employers,' he said. 'We are surprised and disappointed that some who have commented on our operations did not first fact-check the accuracy and veracity of ill-founded claims.'
