LIMERICK Green Party TD Brian Leddin recently raised questions about the capacity of veterinary schools in Ireland.
In the Dáil, Deputy Leddin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science Simon Harris what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is a sufficient increase in capacity in veterinary schools in Ireland, to meet the growing demand for vets and reduce reliance on education abroad.
This comes as the demand for places in veterinary medicine courses in Ireland far outstrips demand and forces would-be vets to take a place on a course abroad.
In response to Deputy Leddin, Minister Simon Harris said that ensuring a supply of qualified vets to meet the demands of Ireland’s agri-food sector is an important issue for his Department.
“Workforce planning requirements for the veterinary medicine sector are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine in consultation with the Veterinary Council of Ireland,” Minister Harris told Deputy Leddin.
