The Department of Agriculture is “talking out of both sides of its mouth” and “sitting on the fence” on new European Union (EU) veterinary medicines regulations, according to Conor Geraghty of Veterinary Ireland (VI).

Geraghty made his comments after Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) animal health chair TJ Maher said that the Department had confirmed to the IFA that farmers are allowed hold some veterinary medicine products such as mastitis tubes on-farm for emergency use during busy lambing and calving periods.

Maher told the Irish Farmers Journal that the Department made the confirmation in a slideshow presentation to the IFA. Geraghty said that no such confirmation has been made to VI and warned that “there’s a degree of mixed messaging going on.”

I strongly deny that there is any attempt by vets to get more money out of farmers

Maher alleged that some vets are not providing the emergency use service to farmers due to either a “lack of understanding” of the “clearly set out guidance on the issue” or in an “attempt to add further costs to the process for farmers.”

He suggested that some farmers are having to change vets due to the issue.

In response to this, Geraghty said: “I strongly deny that there is any attempt by vets to get more money out of farmers.”

Both parties called on the Department to provide clear guidance on the emergency use matter.