The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris has received recommendations on a proposed new veterinary school, his department has confirmed.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) concluded its review of applications from third-level institutions offering to expand or create new courses in veterinary medicine in Ireland.
The options available include expanding the current course at University College Dublin (UCD), creating a new facility, or doing both.
The University of Limerick (UL); Munster Technological University (MTU); Atlantic Technological University (ATU); and South East Technological University (SETU) also submitted applications.
New programme proposals were reviewed by an expert advisory panel, including representatives from the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The minister will now consider the recommendations and consult with colleagues across government, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said.
Vet school
Minister Harris previously said that after receiving the HEA recommendations, he will engage with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.
“It is great that there is so much interest and that we have gone beyond the point that it is all about one veterinary school. There is now an acceptance that we need to expand in this space.
“It is utterly wrong that so many Irish students are going abroad, often to parts of eastern Europe, to study veterinary medicine. We can do more and better here,” he said.
The minister added that he is conscious of the importance of having enough vets to work with larger animals, farm animals and the agricultural sector.