Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2019
553. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department relies on voluntary reporting by salmon farmers of chemical treatments used for disease control meaning that attention is not being drawn to the type of chemicals being applied to the fish stocks. [26676/19]
View answerRegulation of the use of veterinarian-prescribed treatment chemicals on salmon farms lies with my Department’s veterinary inspectors.
The supply and use of medicines in Ireland is governed by the Animal Remedies Regulations 2005 (SI No 734/2005, superseded by SI No 786/2007). Treatment chemicals registered for use are prescribed by private veterinarians overseeing stock health on salmon farms.
In accordance with paragraph 34 (a) and (b) of this legislation, veterinarians are obliged to maintain records of chemicals purchased, sold and administered for a period of 5 years. Paragraphs 39 and 40 of this legislation further detail the conditions and requirements to be upheld for the administration of an authorised animal remedy.
In addition, salmon farm operators, under conditions outlined in paragraph 42 of this legislation, are required to maintain records of the animal remedies applied. My Department’s veterinary inspectors review the animal remedy use outlined in these records and confirm whether operators are operating in accordance with the legislation. These inspections are undertaken by veterinary inspectors at the same time as the Fish Health inspections undertaken on behalf of the Marine Institute.
