The Agriculture Committee is to hear this Thursday from stakeholders impacted by new rules which will require co-ops and pharmacists to have a prescription to supply fluke doses and wormers to farmers from 2022.

Some 900 licensed merchants and 300 pharmacists who supply veterinary medicines will be impacted by the new rules. Although they will be able to still stock the medicines, they will not be able to issue them without a prescription from a vet.

Huge impact on farming

Chair of the meeting Jackie Cahill TB said that the new rules “impact hugely on farming and the agri-sector.”

"The focus for our meeting on Thursday will be to assess the regulatory challenges and solutions which the Independent Licensed Merchants Association and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) propose with respect to the issue of the dispensing of veterinary medicines."