Limerick vet supports UL bid for new school of veterinary medicine

UL is being tipped to become the site of of the new school to cater for demand from students.

placeholder image — UL is being tipped to become the site of of the new school to cater for demand from students.

A PROMINENT Limerick vet is supporting the campaign to open a new school of veterinary medicine at the University of Limerick.

UL is being tipped to become the site of the new school to cater for demand from students. Currently, UCD is the only third-level institution to offer veterinary training, with demand far outstripping places every year.

The Government has confirmed it's seeking to expand the number of places available in Ireland and that a number of options are being considered.

It is hoped the new school of veterinary medicine, when approved, could be open in time for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Kathy Enright (pictured) of Rockhall Veterinary, Limerick & Clare is a member of a local Veterinary Working Group which is backing the UL bid.

She said it was favoured because of the location of its campus, it’s accessibility, the fact it is located in the Golden Vale, the reputation for its existing faculties and the co-location with a School of Medicine.

"Attracting competent teaching staff and to facilitate accreditation requirements from both the Veterinary Council of Ireland and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons makes it the obvious choice," she said.

"A chronic shortage of graduate places has left Ireland's strategic agri-food sector increasingly dependent on vets who are trained overseas. The low number of places available currently, at the highly-respected UCD Veterinary school means more than 100 of our graduates have to go abroad each year to gain training in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. We should be able to train our people at home and solve our own vet shortages," added Kathy Enright.

The UCD veterinary school was established in 1901 and can cater for a maximum of 82 undergraduate and 50 graduate-entry students each year.

Under the UL proposal, at least 80 students will be facilitated annually rising to 120 over time.

The Government has been urged to fast-track the creation of a second veterinary school amid warnings the country could face a future agri-welfare crisis with just one-in-four new vets registered being Irish educated.

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It is also hoped that the new veterinary school will open up exciting new opportunities in research under the umbrella of the

World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative 'One Health, One Welfare' and according to Katy Enright UL is the only potential site which offers c-location with a Medical School.

Minister Simon Harris and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) recently appointed an expert advisory panel to review opportunities for new programmes in veterinary medicine.

A decision on the location of the new school is expected in the coming weeks.