Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The HEA sought expressions of interest for dentistry, pharmacy, medicine, nursing and veterinary. The closing date for the expressions of interest was 18 November 2002. There was further engagement with the respondents, whereby queries were raised about their expressions of interest. They had to be responded to by 16 January. The HEA is running the process, which we will call a tender because there is a competition among the higher education institutions to win.

The Deputy asked specifically about veterinary. We have all been lobbied on it.

There is plenty of interest in it and, as I understand it, the format the HEA is using is that it has set up a panel to assess the expressions of interest or the bids that have been made, which include the chief veterinary officer from the Department of Agriculture, a nominee from the Veterinary Council, and, I think, two persons from the authority. Basically they will run the rule over each of the expressions of interest and will come forward with a recommendation to the authority, which will then make a recommendation to the Minister on that. That is a broad outline of the process. Some people raised queries as to why there is not an international input into the panel. I queried that and I was informed by HEA officials they had done that previously and that it would take longer to do that and go out and find people. They are happy that the people they have are competent enough, including themselves, to impartially vet or examine each of the expressions of interest and to give a recommendation.