John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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1406. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places currently available in veterinary medicine in each institution across the country; if he intends to make more spaces available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47823/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Currently the only Veterinary Medicine programme available is the programme in UCD which offers approximately 85 places per year through the CAO.

The HEA commenced an expression of interest process, which included expanding provision in Veterinary Medicine, in October 2022.

It was jointly announced in September 2024, by the then Minister for Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that two new Veterinary Medicine programmes were being recommended to proceed, one in the Atlantic Technological University and one in the South East Technological University. These schools would be jointly funded by both Departments.

The design and delivery of these new programmes are complex and require significant preparatory work before they are ready to commence, to ensure the delivery of state-of-the-art programmes for students. It is anticipated that the programmes will commence in September 2026, with 40 places available in each school at full roll-out.

The new veterinary schools will have far-reaching benefits for both the veterinary profession and the agricultural and food industries. The regional locations in the west and south east provide alternative locations from Dublin to study Veterinary Medicine.