Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I beg to differ. I am from the west, which is generally the poor relation, and we have a very good veterinary service in many areas. Youngsters who want to go into veterinary medicine generally have to have 570 or 580 leaving certificate points. Many a person who might have 520 or 530 points and would never get in will head off to some other country to become a vet through another door. I advise the council to look at that situation as well. Many a person might be damn glad to handle those bigger animals, although I know there is a lot going for the smaller ones. We have a great service in my own neck of the woods. If we keep going down the road of conglomerates coming in, we will probably have one vet in the west.