Independent senator Victor Boyhan has called for continued access for farmers to essential livestock medicine.
He spoke in the Seanad this week about his concerns regarding restricting farmers’ access to antiparasitics.
Addressing the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, Boyhan outlined his concerns regarding EU Regulation 2019/6 on Veterinary Medical Products.
“This EU regulation will restrict the sale of antiparasitic drugs for livestock to farmers by making it illegal for anyone other than a vet to prescribe to them.
These drugs are routine medicines given to animals to kill parasites such as gut worm, liver fluke and many others. Currently, these medicines are available from licensed merchants across this country, pharmacies and vets.
He said that by removing the pharmacies and licensed merchants from the chain, it runs the risk of creating a monopoly around these products.
“Rural pharmacies and licensed merchants will be impacted, farmers will have to pay prescription charges, possibly adding to the cost in regard to these matters, and we run the risk of increased prices and the creation of a monopoly in regard to veterinary and agricultural medicines,” the senator said.
Cross border issue
He added that alongside cost and potential monopoly, there are issues surrounding consistency of approach across the border.
The independent senator said: “Northern Ireland has a derogation from this regulation. If we do not do that, we enter into uncertainty with separate jurisdictions and separate approaches to dealing with this, with all of the negative issues arising in that regard.
It is important that we have consistency of approach in how we deal with this across the island of Ireland.
Senator Boyhan finished his Seanad speech by highlighting the importance of the problem facing farmers, and the need to avoid price hikes.
“These are critical issues in regard to agriculture, animal welfare [and] animal health…all of which are within the minister’s brief. Ultimately, this regulation will impact on rural communities in terms of cost,” he said.
In response the minister pledged to “work, over the coming period, to ensure that we meet those obligations in a practical manner which takes into account the situation facing farmers”.