Vol. 503 No. 7
84 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will review the current legislation governing the availability of the Prid synchronisation device and the New Zealand CIDR device which are now available on prescription only making it difficult to facilitate compact calving and the increased use of AI in the national beef herd. [8106/99]
The products in question, which contain hormones, may be marketed in Ireland and elsewhere in the EU under a specific exception to the general EU hormone ban. The relevant EU legislation, however, attaches stringent conditions to their availability, resulting from which they are designated as prescription only by the Irish Medicines Board, which is the licensing authority in Ireland.
Given that the national legislation governing, inter alia, how medicines are prescribed, has been in operation now for almost three years, my Department has been engaged in reviewing its operation generally, including in relation to this category of product. In doing so, full account is being taken of various views which have been expressed about the practical impact of the legislation and the need to ensure that efforts, aimed at improving the genetic quality of our national breeding herd, are not unduly hampered.
It is hoped the review will be completed shortly. I should, however, emphasise that it is not intended to fundamentally alter the thrust of the legislation and that any adjustments must be consistent with the relevant EU legislation and with the maintenance of the highest possible standards of public and animal health protection.
