As I indicated in my reply to Question No 287 of 2 December, under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, either a veterinary practitioner or a veterinary nurse may apply for and be granted a certificate of suitability in respect of a veterinary premises. Implementation of the process is vested in the Veterinary Council of Ireland. To enable the Council to effectively discharge its statutory functions in this regard, Section 108 of the Act enables it to make regulations in relation to veterinary premises covering matters such as classes of premises, availability of equipment and resources, signage to be available to the public and suitability for the practice of specified aspects of veterinary medicine. The Council has adopted regulations for this purpose, known as “Premises Accreditation Scheme Regulations” and has also adopted a detailed “Standards Document”. My Department understands that the Council is currently awaiting advice from its legal advisors in relation to certain issues which have arisen in the context of a particular application for a certificate of suitability.