The government's bovine tuberculosis (TB) action plan will form part of the discussions at the Veterinary Ireland annual conference later this month.

The representative body representing veterinary practitioners in Ireland will also hold its annual general meeting (AGM) in Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny on Friday, November 21.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon will open the event which will mark 25 years since the foundation of Veterinary Ireland.

Veterinary Ireland

During the conference's scientific sessions, Damien Barrett, head of the Ruminant Animal Health Programme Division at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will speak about the TB Action Plan.

Under Budget 2026, an additional €85 million was provided to address rising bovine TB levels across the country, bringing the total funding to €157 million for next year.

The conference will also include an update on the veterinary medicines legislation.

The link between animal abuse and domestic abuse will be explored in the ‘Protect Animals, Protect People’ session by Detective Garda Dan Beckett from An Garda Síochána's National Domestic Abuse Unit (NDAU).

The vet’s role in supporting farmer wellbeing features in a presentation entitled ‘On Feirm Ground’ and health and welfare subjects will also focus on the changing narrative of suicide prevention.

The AGM will see outgoing president Jane Pigott handover the chain of office to the next president, Eoin Glynn.