2026-05-12

160. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the veterinary course at Kildalton College will have its first intake of students in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34804/26]

Question No. 160 is being taken by Deputy Tony McCormick on behalf of Deputy Cleere.

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere, a great Kilkenny sportsman in his day. I want to convey his congratulations to Offaly on their great performance at the weekend. He wants to wish Offaly well in the upcoming Leinster Championship. The question is to ask the Minister if the veterinary course at Kildalton College will have its first intake of students in 2026 and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister has two minutes to-----

Do not forget Roscommon in the Connacht final.

Well done to all the winners and commiserations to all who did not make it over the line. The ongoing success of Offaly hurling is to be celebrated in Offaly but perhaps to be feared in other counties in Leinster. We will wish the Deputy well for now, but we will see where it goes. Before I speak about Kildalton College, I compliment the team in Mount Bellew Agricultural College in County Galway, which I visited with Deputy Albert Dolan and Senator Anne Rabbitte recently. It is also hosting the veterinary course in ATU, which is coming on very well. Both of the courses in Mount Bellew and Kildalton are part of the new veterinary expansion. A number of years ago we realised that there was a huge demand for veterinary places and many of our students were leaving the country to study in Poland and further abroad - some in Edinburgh and some in eastern Europe - and we needed to up the ante in veterinary course provision. Two new veterinary schools are being provided now, one in ATU and one in SETU, with 40 students in each. The SETU programme will be supported by the Glassworks site in Waterford, but also through Teagasc's Kildalton College, which operates a working farm. That reflects international best practice between the academic laboratory experience at the Glassworks site and the practical hands-on farm knowledge at Kildalton. There is some good news to report on that. The planned commencement of 40 places for this September has received a significant boost with the opinion of reasonable assurance from the Veterinary Council of Ireland inspection of the bachelor of veterinary medicine programme. What that opinion of reasonable assurance means is that the regulatory body has now said that it is satisfied that this course passes muster, something that was expected, but which we could not take for granted would come through. My officials have been engaging intensively on this, and we have now received that assurance. This means the students are guaranteed it will commence as planned this September. It is a very important step, which will be welcomed across SETU and ATU for the reasons I have mentioned.

The Minister's answer marks a hugely positive step forward for agriculture and animal healthcare in Ireland. The introduction of a veterinary course in Kildalton College offering 40 places each year is something that cannot be overstated in its importance. For too long, we have faced a serious shortage of qualified vets across the country. This has impacted farmers, the meat industry and even everyday pet owners who rely on timely and professional care for their animals. At the same time, many Irish students have had no choice but to travel abroad, often to countries like Poland, as the Minister mentioned, to pursue their dream of becoming veterinarians. Now, with these additional places here at home, we are not only strengthening our educational system, but also investing directly in the future of Irish agriculture and animal welfare. This is a practical, meaningful solution to a very real problem, and one that will benefit communities nationwide.

Absolutely. I look forward to visiting Kildalton, and I am going to arrange to see it myself shortly. This has that best practice combination of academic theory in the college institutions and hands-on farm experience on the practical college farm at Kildalton. I visited the UCD Lyons Farm just outside Celbridge in my constituency a number of times to see the wonderful work it does. This is an essential part of it. What is welcome in these courses is that while the students will, of course, have the same veterinary degree as a veterinary degree awarded from institutions anywhere in the world, there will be a particular opportunity to focus on large animal practice in these facilities at Kildalton and Mountbellew, for SETU and ATU, respectively, because there will be more of that traditional agricultural setting. In time, it might allow them to develop small animal practice for, dare I say it, city vets and large animal practice for vets in more regional centres of education. Of course, it also makes it much more accessible and available to students from the south east and the midlands, and from the north west for ATU.

The establishment of a veterinary course in Kildalton College is not just an educational development, but a boost for the entire Piltown-Kildalton region. Bringing 40 students into the area each year will have a tangible impact on local life and businesses. These students will live and study in, and become part of, the community. They will support local shops, accommodation providers and services that may have been struggling in recent years. This kind of steady, long-term presence brings the vitality and economic activity that rural areas truly need. At the same time, we are building a pipeline of skilled professionals who will go on to serve farms, clinics and industries across Ireland. It is a win for education and for the whole area. I compliment the Minister's team on the hard work they did to ensure this course happened.

I thank the Deputy. I agree with him about all the benefits that will flow to the regional areas from this. The expansion is being funded through the veterinary places activation programme. That wider programme is backed by €155 million, with €80 million specifically ring-fenced for veterinary education. It is a very important programme. I set a target across government to increase the number of healthcare places, and professional places overall in order to reduce the points pressure on the high points courses like medicine, veterinary and dentistry. Already, we are seeing 1,100 new places across a number of professions coming good on that. In this case, in particular, there are 80 new places for this September across the two new veterinary schools. Even the fact that there are two new veterinary schools in existence is wonderful. They now have representative bodies in the different agencies and boards. I am sure they will play their part in shaping the future of Irish veterinary and making a strong contribution to the regions where the colleges are located. Their graduates will be an exciting new, dynamic force within the veterinary sector. I wish all of the students who applied this year every success. I thank SETU and ATU for rising to the challenge.