Fitzmaurice calls for 'crucial' veterinary colleges in west
The Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, has called for Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless to "focus" on delivering a bachelor of veterinary medicine course for Atlantic Technological University (ATU) by September 2025.
In February 2025, ATU announced that its new bachelor of veterinary medicine and surgery (BVMS) course will not begin until September 2026.
The university believes that the new programme will initially accommodate 30 students, and will primarily be based at ATU Donegal, in conjunction with Mountbellew Agricultural College, Co. Galway.
However, speaking in the Dáil recently, Minister Lawless told Deputy Fitzmaurice that he visited both ATU and the South Eastern Technological University (SETU), and discussed the issue with executives in both universities.
Minister Lawless said: "I am very keen that the veterinary programme should occur quickly.
"We need it. A significant number of students are studying in Poland and outside the state.
"The veterinary college in UCD has 90 students. That is inadequate. We need these additional 80 places, but I am told by the colleges it will not be happening this year and they are saying it will be September 2026."
But according to the Roscommon-Galway TD, this is of cold comfort to students who want to study veterinary medicine in Ireland.
"There are probably 200 youngsters out of the country at the moment because UCD is not fit to take the numbers who are looking for this.
"I know the minister is only new in his portfolio. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach is from this area. He represents Carlow-Kilkenny. They are looking to make sure there is provision in that area, but it would be a great development to have a veterinary college in our area, in the west of Ireland."
"It would help Mountbellew because there was an agricultural college there. It would also help the college in Letterkenny and places like that where they will be doing the study part of this.
"I ask the minister to focus on this and to deliver this for those two areas because it is crucial," Deputy Fitzmaurice added.
Minister Lawless gave Deputy Fitzmaurice his "commitment that this will be followed through".
