Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine publishes report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feeds and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022

The Committee makes 19 recommendations and observations in relation to the General Scheme which the Committee requests to be considered in the drafting of the Bill.

Launching the report, Deputy Jackie Cahill, Cathaoirleach of the Committee, said: “The Agri-Food sector in Ireland plays a vital role in rural employment and contributes significantly to both the national and rural economy. The importance of a secure food supply has been especially highlighted in recent years with the impact of climate change and the ongoing war in Ukraine. One particular challenge facing the sector this year is the decrease of availability of fertiliser and the unprecedented increase of fertiliser costs.”

The Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feeds and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022 deals with different key elements of the agriculture sector, in particular veterinary medicine and fertiliser. The Bill implements matters related to EU Regulations and also provides for the online National Veterinary Prescription System and the National Fertiliser Database. From January 2023 onwards the proposed National Fertiliser Database will facilitate Ireland’s Eco-Scheme under the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan.

The Committee received the General Scheme of the Bill in July. Five days of hearings were held in September and October 2022 and the Committee engaged with relevant stakeholders to discuss the general scheme of the Bill. Based on these engagements, the Committee has made 19 recommendations which it believes will enhance and strengthen the proposed legislation.

Deputy Cahill said: “After scrutinising the General Scheme, the Committee is concerned of the potential lack of market competition that this Bill could create with regards to the dispense of veterinary products and the possible impact of cross-border trade under different regulatory regimes. It is imperative that farmers are in a position where they can continue to look after the health and welfare of their animals and make a viable living as they move towards more environmentally friendly practices.

“The Committee recognises the dangers arising from antimicrobial resistance and welcomes measures proposed to address the risks. While recognising the dangers the Committee believes the role of the ‘Responsible Person’ and the Pharmacist should not be terminated or restricted given the experience and knowledge they bring to supporting farmers in caring for their animals.”

Deputy Cahill added: “As Cathaoirleach of the Committee, I would like to thank Members for their input and their commitment in the pre-legislative scrutiny of this important Bill and in bringing forward this Report. On behalf of the Committee, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to every stakeholder that forwarded a submission to the Committee or came before the Committee to give evidence. Engagement and discussions with representative organisations and government bodies were critical to the Committee’s scrutiny of this Bill and the development of this Report.”

The report Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feeds and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022 is available on the Oireachtas website.

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.