Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber. I greatly appreciate that he is here but two Departments would be involved in the establishment of a new veterinary school, neither of which is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I appreciate the Minister of State has taken the time to be here and do not wish to be in any way churlish but Deputies put forward Topical Issue matters on the basis that relevant line Ministers will reply. That said, I am sure the Minister of State will convey the contents of my contribution to a Minister.

The Minister of State represents a rural constituency, so I am sure he will be aware of the shortage of vets in large animal practice. Likewise, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, the Ministers of State at that Department, Deputy Hayden and Senator Hackett, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State at that Department, Deputy Collins, are aware of it too. The Minister of State, Deputy Collins, certainly represents a rural constituency and Wicklow, the Minister's constituency, is arguably a rural constituency. As vets in large animal practice retire, we have a shortage of vets to replace them. This is a huge problem, especially given agriculture is still the biggest industry we have in rural Ireland. Vets in large animal practice are of course not confined to agriculture as there is also the equine industry, to which such vets are also essential.

There are a number of students who want to study veterinary medicine. I understand 581 students had it as their first choice in the CAO in 2022 but there are only 85 places on the island, let alone in this State. These are all at the veterinary college in UCD, which is obviously excellent and nobody is casting any doubt or aspersions on that. It is about the sheer lack of numbers. Of those students, a very large proportion of the graduates tend to go, for whatever reason, into research, working in veterinary hospitals and into small animal practices. That is their right and nobody is suggesting otherwise but that leaves a shortage of vets in large animal practice.

UCD is taking in 85 students, but there are more Irish students than that number studying veterinary medicine in Hungary and Poland combined, with 40 and 70, respectively.

For these reasons, it is clear we need to establish a new veterinary college. I believe the steps are under way. When the University of Limerick founded its graduate medical school, it not alone added a new school of medicine but also a new way of teaching. Instead of students getting their practical experience in hospitals, which they had previously done in the existing medical schools, they also got practical experience in general practices around the country. As a result, this meant general practice was perhaps more open to them. The option was more in their mind and they were more willing to consider it than they might have been had they never had any experience in a general practice. The experience of doing this is something that should be looked at with respect to this new veterinary school. I refer to having a veterinary school where students do not just do their practical experience in a veterinary hospital, like the one in Belfield, but do it in large-animal practices the length and breadth of not just this State but this island.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue. He is speaking at an event in the midlands this evening. I have a more than passing interest in this area as the brother of a vet. We shared a house with him when he was in UCD.

Late last year, the Higher Education Authority, HEA, issued a request for expressions of interest for higher educational institutions interested in building capacity in veterinary medicine, among other disciplines. I understand some institutions were subsequently asked to submit more detailed proposals for further consideration. The HEA in response recently announced the appointment of an expert advisory panel to review opportunities for new programmes in areas including veterinary medicine. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, indicated in the Dáil last week that he expects to have those recommendations for consideration by him next month. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, indicated he is very pleased to see this initiative progress and develop.

The Government greatly appreciates the very valuable work veterinary practitioners undertake across our agricultural sectors, which are primarily livestock based, but also in supporting the health and welfare of our companion animals and, indeed, through their often unseen and unappreciated work in the food safety area. Over recent years, as the Deputy indicated, the demand for the services of veterinary practitioners across our society has been increasing, most especially in the companion animal area. This is a trend also seen across Europe. As the Deputy acknowledged, the number of Irish graduates from the excellent UCD school of veterinary medicine has not been able to expand to match this increased demand in Ireland. While we have always welcomed graduates from other countries coming to work in Ireland, recent data from the Veterinary Council of Ireland, VCI, which regulates the profession in Ireland, show a significant and increasing number of non-Irish educated graduates registering to practise in Ireland.

The VCI has reported that the numbers of veterinary practitioners on the veterinary register is currently at an all-time high, in excess of 3,300. Notwithstanding this, I agree with the Deputy, and the Government is aware there continues to be a significant number of vacant positions advertised on a regular basis, especially across the mixed-farm animal and companion animal sectors of the profession. We are particularly aware of concerns being raised about the availability of veterinary practitioners to provide services to the farming sectors across the country and difficulties in the filling of positions in certain areas. This is a matter that the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is keeping under review.

Many of the non-Irish educated graduates being registered by the VCI are Irish citizens who have travelled to veterinary schools in different parts of Europe, including those referred to by the Deputy, and who return after graduating. This is reflective of the restricted availability of veterinary education opportunities in Ireland and where students who do not get a position at home must travel abroad to pursue their goal. While I cannot pre-empt the evaluation process currently ongoing, the Government does see significant potential benefit if additional student places could be provided in Ireland.

The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and the Government would welcome such an outcome. We are a well-developed country with a strong education system. If, for any reason, a student wishes to study abroad then that is great, but we must be able to ensure there are enough places for people to study in Ireland, especially for an industry as critical as veterinary medicine. This would provide the opportunity for greater self-sufficiency with regard to the availability of veterinary practitioners in Ireland and provide opportunities for Irish students to pursue their career choices at home. Several educational institutions have submitted an interest in hosting a new veterinary course. This will be a matter for the review which will be published next month.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. I will focus on one sentence in his response, that is, "Over recent years...the demand for the services of veterinary practitioners across our society has been increasing and most especially in the companion animal area". This is undoubtedly true. However, there has not been any reduction in the demand for vets in large-animal practices. As the Minister of State is undoubtedly aware, given recent controversy, the national herd is the same size. It is no bigger now, but is still the same size as it was 50 years ago. There is, therefore, still the same demand for veterinary practices to service agriculture. The horse sport and horse racing industries are developing and it is hoped to develop them further, so there is a particular demand for vets in that area too.

In that context, we must ensure there are vets coming out of our veterinary colleges and veterinary graduates who are Irish citizens coming back from abroad. Indeed, it is equally the case regarding foreign vets or those who are not Irish citizens and who qualified abroad and are coming here. We have a tendency in medicine to rely on foreign graduates. It would be a pity if we are going to have to rely on foreign graduates exclusively. They are excellent vets and I am not casting any aspersions on them, but we do need to ensure we are producing vets here too.

We must also ensure we are producing vets who want to go into large-animal practices, as opposed to going into research, companion animal and small animal practices. These make valuable contributions to society and animal welfare, but we do have an industry need for large-animal vets. This is why I ask that the UL model be examined. It was specifically geared towards ensuring that medical students had exposure to general practice. Whatever college is awarded the veterinary school, and I obviously hope it is UL because it is the one closest to me, I would hope it would look at UL's experience in developing the medical school because it has helped to get medical graduates into general practice. The other thing about UL is that it is also a graduate school. I know it costs a lot to educate vets. I do not know if the Minister or if the Exchequer are willing to fund the cost of the contribution required in this regard. I say this because if this is a graduate school, then we will not be able to compete with graduate fees in Poland, Czechia, etc.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I agree absolutely with the need for the provision of vets for large-animal practices as well. This was acknowledged in the speech. Our agricultural industry is still absolutely crucial to our entire island. It is important we have the vets to service it, as well as the companion animal aspect as well. Equally, from the perspective of my Department, the research side is equally as important. As I said, the matter is being reviewed by the HEA. The Minister, Deputy Harris, will have that review by March. From speaking to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and to the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, I know we are all anxious to see this pursued as quickly as possible.