We have given the committee copies of the presentation. We will go through it, if we may, and then answer questions. My role is to outline the submission from Veterinary Ireland on developing veterinary practices.
Serious concerns have been expressed in many quarters about the problems facing the veterinary sector, both internationally and here in Ireland. The difficulties facing farmers from changes taking place in agriculture and the resultant financial pressures are undoubtedly beginning to put similar pressures on the veterinary profession. While this is clearly not just an Irish problem, the non-resolution of it could have serious consequences for the Irish economy.
Expectations, on the other hand, are growing apace on the health, safety and welfare of animals, the health and safety of their owners, and the maintenance of standards of food safety, etc. These expectations were highlighted and provided for, specifically, in the new Veterinary Practice Act, which was passed into law in mid-2005. It places a whole raft of additional requirements on the profession, including the introduction of regulations in respect of veterinary premises. Their implementation will place yet another burden on an already stretched sector. The profession wishes to work with the spirit of the new regulations, with a view to achieving the specified objectives for animals and clients. The profession will, however, require assistance to do so. There are numerous precedents for such assistance and this submission is presented to the joint committee to seek support for the profession's request that consideration be given to the introduction of financial supports for the development of veterinary practices
The financial pressures on farmers in Ireland and elsewhere are having consequences for their viability and, in turn, are impacting on the operations of the veterinary professionals who support them. These are summed up well in the following comments made in an editorial of the UK's Farmers Weekly:
Imagine a health service with no general practitioners. It's unthinkable. But that is the grim prospect facing the UK livestock industry. A crisis of dramatic proportions is emerging in the countryside, leaving livestock farmers without access to one of their key support groups — vets. In an age when animal health is regularly top of the mainstream news agenda, losing knowledgeable, reliable vets would be a disaster farmers and society can ill afford.
The difficulties giving rise to these trends internationally are replicated in Ireland. The difficulties, however, could be even more serious here and the Government should be supportive of any and all attempts to maintain and improve veterinary infrastructure throughout the country. Not to do so could run the risk of inadequate veterinary surveillance, missed opportunities for the early identification of new and emerging diseases, potential adverse implications for animal welfare and public health, not to mention the removal of what Farmers Weekly referred to as one of the “key support groups” for livestock farmers.
The Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which was steered through the Houses of the Oireachtas by the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, and on which this committee did much valuable work, was signed into law in July 2005. It introduced a range of new obligations on the veterinary profession, in line with changing practices and increasing expectations among clients and the public generally.
Part 9 of the new Act, a copy of which is attached in full for the committee as an appendix to our submission, provides for the introduction of regulations in respect of veterinary premises. Regulation 108 in particular sets out the purposes of their introduction as follows: promoting and protecting the health, safety and welfare of animals; protecting the safety of owners and carers of animals and registered persons engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine or veterinary nursing and the public; and maintaining proper standards as regards veterinary premises in the State.
The Act also gives the Veterinary Council of Ireland the statutory function "to specify and keep under review standards of veterinary premises", including a requirement for a mandatory scheme for the registration of all veterinary premises. This comprehensive scheme will effectively require many veterinary practices to upgrade and improve their physical facilities in order to achieve accreditation at the desired standard. Veterinary Ireland has been supportive of this work in recognition of the overall longer-term public good that will be delivered. We realise, however, that in order for the longer-term benefit for everyone involved to be achieved, it will be essential in the short term that the affected practices involved are assisted to meet the financial costs which such changes will inevitably entail.
Within the broader agriculture sector, there are numerous examples of similar support structures in place. However, it should be stressed that the total sums involved in supporting the relatively small number of veterinary practices that will require it will be very much lower. Financial supports towards capital expenditure on computer hardware and software have previously been given to those becoming involved with the new animal health computer system, AHCS. Veterinary Ireland strongly supported the Department's work in this regard, yielding substantial savings for relatively small grant assistance.
Against this background, Veterinary Ireland is requesting that consideration be given to the introduction of financial supports for registered veterinary practitioners for the upgrading of their practice premises and facilities. The organisation will be pleased to work with the Government in developing and promoting such a scheme to its members and earnestly seeks the support of the joint committee for the profession's request for assistance in meeting this new legislative imperative.