Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has been asked to attend a sitting of Longford District Court to explain his department’s response to an apparent rise of “rogue farmers” in the beef sector.
Judge Seamus Hughes issued the invite to the minister after department officials prosecuted a Co. Westmeath man for allegedly procuring medication for cattle without a required veterinary prescription.
The case concerns allegations that five bottles of Imizol, a sterile solution used for the treatment and prevention of bovine babesiosis or redwater fever, were obtained at a veterinary clinic across the border in Co Fermanagh.
In evidence provided by department veterinary surgeon Louis O’Riordan, Longford District Court was told of how such incidences were becoming more difficult to detect due to Government cutbacks.
“I think there is an absence of political will… In my view, it’s a case of don’t look, don’t find,” he said.
The comments drew a terse reaction from Judge Hughes, who said there appeared to be an increasing number of what he termed “rogue farmers” that were “hellbent” on compromising the quality of Ireland’s export beef trade for monetary gain.
“I am not completing this case here today… I will invite Michael Creed to come to court. He won’t come, I know that, and he will send a senior civil servant, but I want a representative from the department here in court as this is of grave consequence to the national herd and export trade,” he said.
Judge Hughes added that it was his view that the case had shone a light on the level of “ambidexterity” which now existed in Ireland’s beef sector.
“This is the tip of the iceberg… Something is awry here and there is billions of euro at stake,” he said.
The case was adjourned until September 15 next.