Vol. 545 No. 3
74 Mr. T. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when he intends to make the intra-mammary preparations available to farmers by prescription only; his plans to include cattle, sheep and pig vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30268/01]
75 Mr. T. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the steps he intends to take to ensure harmonisation of legislation with regard to the availability of intra-mammary preparations and animal vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30269/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together.
As regards intra-mammary preparations, the Irish Medicines Board has recommended that these antibiotic medicines should be brought under prescription control. It is recognised in the relevant report from the IMB that there would be difficulties in applying the current prescription rules in Irish legislation to intramammaries. Accordingly, and in the context of the IMB proceeding with the prescription route, my Department is now engaged in considering what changes to existing legislation will be necessary in order to have an effective and workable prescription regime applying to intramammaries. My Department has sought the views and suggestions of stakeholders on the optimum arrangements which might apply. Some stakeholders have already responded and I expect this process to be completed within coming weeks. In formulating its proposals, my Department will not alone have regard to the views expressed by stakeholders, within the context of putting in place a suitable prescription regime but will also have due regard to arrangements in operation in other member states of the EU where prescription regimes currently apply to intramammaries.
