Ms Niamh Muldoon:

There was one practitioner removed from the register last year, which was in relation to an indictable offence. The person had been found guilty of an indictable offence and on that basis was removed from the Veterinary Council register. That was one vet.

We have suspended a number of individuals. There were a handful of vets suspended both in 2020 and 2021. All of those matters arise against vets where there has been a finding of professional misconduct, they travel through our own disciplinary procedures and a sanction would then be imposed by the Veterinary Council based on a finding of professional misconduct. That would then be overseen by the High Court because that is dealing with the constitutional rights of an individual to earn a livelihood and to protect reputation and good name. In the instances that I am talking about, that have been investigated by an authorised officer and then led to a District Court prosecution, there was one vet who was the subject of one of those prosecutions, which was related to operating from a veterinary practice premises that had not been certified by the Veterinary Council and the other matters were against individuals who were straying into the practice of veterinary medicine without being qualified, eligible or insured to do so.

There are two very separate wings. One is in relation to non-qualified vets straying into the practice of veterinary medicine or nursing, and the other wing is where a complaint, a fitness to practise inquiry and ultimately a sanction is imposed against registered members. There are about 1,100 veterinary nurses and some 3,200 vets registered with us who would go through our own disciplinary proceedings.

Does that make sense?