Vet who worked in Donegal convicted for drug-trafficking - can practise in Ireland
A vet who worked in Donegal has been convicted in Romania for supplying Ketamine on the black market; however, the High Court has ruled that he cannot be struck off, because the legislation does not allow for vets to be summarily struck off for convictions that occurred before they were registered
A vet, who previously practised in Donegal, has been convicted in Romania for drug trafficking.
However, according to the High Court ruling, Valentin Ciobanu is still eligible to practice veterinary care in Ireland, as reported by the Irish Independent.
In 2013, he received a three-year suspended sentence for supplying ketamine for sale on the black market while working as a vet in his native country, Romania.
Then, he relocated to Ireland, where he registered with the Veterinary Council in 2018, but failed to disclose his past conviction. He worked for private veterinary practices in Donegal before becoming a director of a mobile veterinary clinic in 2022, when his past conviction came to light. The owner of Mulroy Vets and Letterkenny Small Animals Veterinary Hospital wrote to the Veterinary Council about Mr Ciobanu, expressing concerns that he had been involved in drug-trafficking in Romania.
The Veterinary Council regarded the drug-trafficking conviction as serious enough to warrant his summary strike-off from the practice register, without a fitness-to-practise hearing. The High Court ruled Mr Ciobanu cannot be struck off, because his conviction occurred before he was registered here.
The Veterinary Council described the High Court decision this weekend as “disappointing”.According to details contained in the High Court judgment, he was reported to the Veterinary Council in April 2022.