Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the publication in The Irish Timesyesterday of a letter from eight veterinarians supporting the call for a veterinary college for University of Limerick. I have met the president of University of Limerick and her team on this matter. The concerns highlighted by the veterinarians in the letter in The Irish Times concerned recruitment and retention and the fact that many people training to be vets have to travel abroad. There is a process that is live at present and I understand there will a decision within the next two or three weeks.

We have a very fine veterinary college in Dublin. I have availed of the services of the small animal hospital there in the past but we need to have a counterbalance by putting a veterinary college into the regions. The University of Limerick is well placed to facilitate this call. It has many courses already in place that would be complementary to the provision of a veterinary college in Limerick. The decision needs to be made as soon as possible because, from reading the letter in The Irish Times, it is important a decision is made in order that a veterinary college can be opened in 2025, which is the commitment from the University of Limerick. It will work in collaboration with local vets in the region on training and providing that support for young students.

I ask the Leader to contact the Department of Education to find out when the decision is imminent.