Food safety in Ireland is enforced by the regulatory agencies. These agencies carry out farm inspections that include checking herd/flock register, medicine used, sustainability protocols and animal welfare. They are also present in abattoirs where they carry out anti-mortem and post-mortem inspections on the carcasses. They govern what is acceptable and unacceptable substances that can be administered to sheep and cattle.
Hormones and growth promoters are forbidden and antibiotics are used under veterinary supervision only. In the event that medicine is required for cattle and sheep strict protocols has to be followed by the farmer. They first have to contact the veterinary surgeon who then carries out a full clinical examination on the animal.

If that animal requires treatment all data including tag number of the animal, name of medicine, batch number, amount given, withdrawal period, date administered and expiry date of medicine. All this data is then transferred to the herd/flock register by the farmer for annual inspection by the governing bodies.