New regulations which are set to be introduced will see farmers being unable to purchase parasite treatment mediation for animals from a licensed merchant or co-op that are currently being sold without prescription from a veterinary practitioner. The changes arise from an EU directive set to come into effect from 28th January 2022.
This is according to Independent Roscommon councillor Emer Kelly, who stated: “This will lead to a number of changes for farmers, licensed merchants and veterinary practitioners who will be directly affected by the proposed changes.
“Licensed merchants now face reduced business potential and are faced with the threat of unemployment and possible closure. Farmers have another unnecessary cost of a visit to the vet to obtain a prescription and vets will have an increase in paperwork and an added workload.
“The added cost and time will result in inefficiency for the farmer who may have a to wait hours for a vet to fill a prescription during the busy spring months for an item as simple as a wormer, which they could previously have purchased from a licensed merchant.
“The EU derogation enables professionals other than a vet to prescribe the parasite medications provided they are qualified to do so, however this has not been incorporated into the changes set to come into effect in Ireland. Responsible persons operating in licensed merchants in Ireland meet these requirements and so face a waste of training if they cannot use it to prescribe parasite medication”.
Cllr. Kelly called on the Minister for Agriculture to amend these changes to include responsible persons in the people identified to prescribe parasitic information.
She added: “I have contacted a number of local TDs and senators and am calling for them to continue to put pressure on the minister”.
