Speculation is mounting today (Thursday, September 12) that the University of Limerick (UL) is set to pull out of its bid to host a new vet school.
Sources have indicated to Agriland that the news comes as a “shock” for officials at UL, after much advocating for the new veterinary programme.
The university was being contested to host the new vet school by two other universities: Atlantic Technological University (ATU), and South East Technological University (SETU).
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) assessed the capacities at UL, ATU and SETU to be at 90, 40, and 40 student places for veterinary medicine annually, with a potential for a further 45 places at University College Dublin (UCD).
The government is yet to announce which third-level institution or institutions will host a new vet school.
However, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he knows from listening to farmers and vets across rural Ireland that there is a “real need” for a regional balance in the provision of veterinary services.
The Taoiseach said he is “absolutely committed” to working with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Patrick O’Donovan to roll out new vet colleges in rural and regional Ireland.
UL
Meanwhile, this year, UL had announced the signing of an agreement with Salesian Agricultural College, in order to cooperate in the delivery of a new undergraduate course.
UL had also signed a memorandum of understanding with a network of independently-owned veterinary practices, XL Vets.
Using the partnership with XL Vets, UL had proposed to deliver a “hybrid distributed model” of veterinary clinical education, as well as regional placement hubs and the development of a contemporary veterinary teaching hospital on campus.
UL had announced plans of an annual intake of 90 students for its new course when it would hit full capacity, 12 of whom would be from Northern Ireland.