I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 13, inclusive, together.
Antibiotics are used in animal husbandary for therapeutic purposes and properly administered can be an effective means of controlling disease. Their misuse may, however, result in residues in food which could have implications from a human health point of view. These residues could arise particularly from failure to observe the correct periods for non-marketing of milk after treatment of cows for mastitis or from failure to observe correct withdrawal periods before the slaughter of animals to which antibiotics have been administered. This is an area where legislative controls are lacking at present and my Department have already initiated discussions with the interests involved about the possible regulation of the use, application, distribution and monitoring of antibiotic substances. The question of making antibiotics available only on veterinary prescription will also be examined in this context.
The Minister for Health recently introduced regulations under the Poisons Act, 1961, which have the effect of confining the retail sale of antibiotics to pharmacies and to other licensed outlets that have available the services of pharmacists or veterinary surgeons. In addition, the EEC has adopted two directives laying down conditions and standards for the manufacture of veterinary medicines, including antibiotics, and requiring member states to introduce before November next a system of assessing such products. The EEC Commission has also put forward a proposal for a directive relating to antibiotic residues in fresh meat. This would lay down a uniform system for the examination for residues of antibiotics, the frequency of sampling, permissible tolerances and measures to be taken if the tolerances are exceeded. My Department are actively involved in the examination of this proposal in Brussels.
In relation to milk and milk products, penalties, varying from price reductions to the withdrawal of supply contracts, are applied by the co-operative creameries to milk found to contain antibiotic residues. As a result there is no recent evidence of residues in butter and cheese whilst any levels found in milk powder are so low as not to constitute a public health hazard.