Medicines regulation ‘will raise costs’

THE current proposals by the Department of Agriculture and Food on the regulation of animal medicines will restrict product availability and competition within the market, Fine Gael claims.

Party spokesman Denis Naughten said the proposals will significantly increase the cost of medicines to farmers, which will have a direct impact on animal husbandry and the cost of food production.

Currently, farmers are not even getting the basic cost of production back from the market place and if Farm Minister Mary Coughlan is allowed to push through her current proposals on animal remedies, farmers will be at a greater loss.