Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss proposal for new School of Veterinary Medicine in Ireland

The meeting in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will be split into two sessions.

• 5.30pm – Representatives of the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) and Higher Education Authority (HEA);
• 7pm – Officials from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Jackie Cahill said: “There is a growing demand for veterinary services in Ireland, particularly from the farming sector. Currently, there is one school of veterinary medicine in Ireland at University College Dublin, which provides undergraduate and post-graduate courses. A new veterinary medicine school is proposed by the Government to meet the need to train more vets and expressions of interest have been sought from high education institutions across the country. The Committee welcomes this engagement with key stakeholders and looks forward to discussing this important matter with the Veterinary Council, the HEA and officials from both departments.”

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.