Ensuring a supply of qualified vets to meet the demands of Ireland's agrifood sector is an important issue for my Department.
A number of institutions put forward proposals, following the recent HEA Expression of Interest process outlining options for the expansion of veterinary medicine provision.
As the Deputy is aware, there is a substantial capital cost associated with the provision of any new schools in veterinary. It is important that the scale of the costs is fully understood and planned for. The options identified have the potential to transform the numbers of students who can take up places in these key areas. This would be an expansion at a scale rarely seen across five high demand areas and is a significant investment of public funding in our HEIs.
Detailed discussions need to take place about the ways and means to address capital costs for the provision of any new school, including in the context of an expected upcoming review of Departmental National Development Plan allocations.
Given the nature of the discussions and the significant costs associated with expansion and the provision of any new schools, it will naturally take some time for these discussions to reach a conclusion.
As these discussions are ongoing between the Departments, it is not possible at this time to determine whether extra CAO places may be available in the 2024-2025 academic year.
I am continuing to work with the Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the next steps.
