Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
226. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the planned operation of the new veterinary colleges, and what it will mean for Irish students and for regional growth and activity. [67771/25]
View answerThe Government is committed to expanding capacity in veterinary education to meet Ireland’s growing demand for veterinary professionals and to support key sectors such as agri-food, public health, and animal health services. In this context, the Veterinary Places Activation Programme (VPAP), approved in September 2024, is delivering two new veterinary schools—one at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and one at South East Technological University (SETU).
Alongside Minister McConalogue, I was delighted to launch the ATU Veterinary School at ATU Letterkenny last week. This marks a significant milestone for the West and North West, with ATU set to welcome its first cohort of 40 veterinary medicine students in September 2026. ATU’s model will feature a full on-campus clinical training facility, ensuring high-quality, modern clinical education and strong regional engagement.
SETU is working with the regulator to finalise the programme development and will also commence its veterinary medicine programme as soon as this process is completed, enrolling 30–40 students initially. Its delivery model will use a distributed, community-based clinical training network, supported by new facilities at the Glassworks site and Teagasc Kildalton College. This approach reflects international best practice and will broaden the diversity of Ireland’s veterinary training landscape.
At full rollout, ATU and SETU together will provide 80 additional veterinary graduates annually, reducing reliance on overseas universities and strengthening Ireland’s domestic veterinary pipeline. These developments form part of a wider Government investment in healthcare and veterinary education and will contribute significantly to regional development, talent retention, and the One Health research agenda.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank both SETU and ATU and the Veterinary Council of Ireland for the ambition and commitment to delivering this expansion of veterinary medicine across Ireland.
