Ministers launch cross-border veterinary public health course

A NEW cross-border course attempting to ensure the public health veterinarians working in the Irish food industry continue to meet EU regulatory standards has been launched by ministers on both sides of the border.

The post-graduate certificate in veterinary public health was launched by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith and his counterpart in Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle Gildrenew yesterday, as part of a bid in both jurisdictions to meet future EU agri-food regulations.

As part of the course, which will be taught online and include input from senior academics in UCD and the University of Ulster, participating veterinarians will be able to access the latest international research and information, helping them to keep up-to-date with all developments in the food industry regulation sector.

Speaking at the launch of the new course, part of a legislative requirement contained in European Regulation 854/2004, Mr Smith said the development was a vital step in safeguarding regulation standards within the multi-million euro sector in Ireland.

“This investment by my department in continuing education for official veterinarians engaged in veterinary public health, demonstrates the importance we give to the proper regulation of the food industry,” he said.

He said the cross-border dimension of the course was “mutually beneficial to us all” and that anything which strengthened existing standards “can only enhance Ireland’s profile within the agri-food sector”.