Merchants Alliance Ireland has claimed that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, is yet to respond to requests to meet with the alliance.

The alliance represents the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), Irish Licensed Merchants Association (ILMA), and Acorn Independent Merchants.

This includes over 550 agri-business outlets, and more than 4,000 employees across Ireland.

Merchants Alliance Ireland are hoping to meet with Minister Heydon regarding the proposed Statutory Instrument (SI), which it claims will reclassify all anti-parasitic veterinary medicines as prescription-only medicines (POM).

It has warned that many of these businesses face "imminent closure" unless the minister suspends the SI, and engages with the sector directly.

The alliance said: "We are deeply disappointed by the minister’s apparent unwillingness to meet. His decision to proceed with this SI, as currently drafted, will effectively legislate hundreds of licensed merchants and co-operatives out of existence within weeks."

The alliance claims that despite multiple requests to meet the minister, no meeting has been granted.

It also said that no new prescribing guidance has been issued by the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

According to the alliance, the National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS) remains largely unused by the veterinary community.

It believes this further compounds the "operational paralysis" facing merchant outlets.

"The minister appears to be ignoring some five years of constructive engagement and reasonable proposals to retain a fair and balanced supply chain," the alliance said.

According to the alliance, the reclassification of anti-parasitics to POM status will mean licensed retailers can no longer legally supply these essential products unless directly prescribed by a veterinarian.

It said: "This will not just be a blow to our businesses, it is an attack on rural commerce and farmer livelihoods. Farmers will ultimately pay the price through reduced access, reduced service, and increased costs.

"Merchants Alliance Ireland is urgently seeking a meeting with Minister Heydon to convey our sincere and urgent concerns for a reassessment of how anti-parasitics are regulated under EU legislation in an Irish context.

"We have requested very respectfully to meet the minister and await a concrete reply. As it stands, the minister’s plan risks irreparable damage to Ireland’s rural economy and agricultural infrastructure," it added.