Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said, there are expressions of interest from the four provinces with regard to providing new courses. As the Senator will understand, this also relates to workforce planning requirements. There are significant practical elements and placement requirements as part of veterinary medicine programme provision, including appropriate laboratory facilities to ensure these courses meet the necessary standards of the Veterinary Council of Ireland. Workforce planning requirements for the veterinary medicine sector require advice from and consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. That consultation is under way. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, are committed to this and have made clear that planning for current and future public sector skill needs, including in veterinary medicine, is a priority for their Department. The HEA process that is under way will inform further developments in respect of provision in this key skills area. I will ask the Minister and the Minister of State to keep the Senator informed about this process.