Deputy Robert O'Donoghue and I had a meeting with vets over the past period of time with a view to progressing the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill, which was actually brought in by former Fianna Fáil Deputy, Jackie Cahill, and my former constituency colleague. We will have a crisis in veterinary services across Ireland if we do not do something because veterinary practices are being bought up by corporate entities. This is happening continuously. As a result, we are having loss of service, restricted times for services and prices dramatically increasing and we will have animal welfare issues. This is an urban issue as well as a rural issue. It will be across the board. In Britain, they are trying to reverse allowing corporate entities to have veterinary practices. Instead, there should be a veterinary practitioner in charge and in ownership of all of these practices. I understand that every political entity in this House supports this Bill. It is coming back before the agriculture committee. Will the Taoiseach ensure its quick progressions through these Houses so we can protect veterinary services in the country?

Sentiment score: 0.01

Your own party supports it.

Sentiment score: 0.64