Merchants Alliance Ireland has sought an urgent meeting with Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon to discuss changes which affect the sale of veterinary medicine products at merchant level.

Merchants Alliance Ireland has said that the proposed statutory instrument (SI) which will reclassify all anti-parasitic veterinary medicines as prescription-only medicines (POM) will force many businesses to close if not suspended.

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

Collectively, Merchant Alliance Ireland represents over 550 agribusiness outlets and more than 4,000 employees across Ireland.

'Disappointed'

“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,” it said.

Despite multiple requests, no meeting has been granted and no new prescribing guidance has been issued by the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) nor the Department of Agriculture, according to Merchants Alliance Ireland.

“The Minister appears to be ignoring some five years of constructive engagement and reasonable proposals to retain a fair and balanced supply chain.

“Instead, this SI rewards fear-mongering and effectively hands veterinary interests a near-monopoly on vital animal health products,” the group said.

Supply

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 - a process that remains logistically and economically unworkable under current systems.

“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,” the alliance warned.

Merchants Alliance Ireland has argued that the result will be the closure of licensed agri-retail outlets, job losses in rural Ireland, reduced competition and service availability for farmers and greater market control by a single profession at the expense of open access.

Historically, anti-parasitics were accessible via licensed merchants operating under strict regulatory oversight, it said.

"This ensured competitive pricing, wide distribution and professional accountability - all of which now stand to be dismantled under the incoming regulation.

“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.”

From June 2025 anti-parasitics will have to be prescribed and dispensed using the National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS).