‘Unwieldy’ Veterinary Council no longer fit for purpose, says survey

The professional body which regulates veterinary surgeons in Ireland is no longer fit for purpose with several “unwieldy” structures, a review has found.

An examination of governance arrangements of the Veterinary Council said the organisation does not adequately service the country’s 2,900 vets and 950 veterinary nurses or the public at large.

The review, which was commissioned jointly by the Department of Agriculture and the Veterinary Council, said the professional landscape for vets had changed a great deal since it was established under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005.

It has proposed a series of 15 recommendations which is said would help the Veterinary Council become “a more modern, dynamic, and fit-for-purpose regulator which supports the development of veterinary services and assures the general public about the quality and standards of those services.”

The review said the council appeared to spend large amounts of time revising prior decisions and discussing operational minutiae.

It also found the council was less focused on strategic issues than it should be and was overly involved in operational matters which should appropriately be delegated to its executive.

The review said there was a blurring of lines between the role of the council and its executive.

With 19 members, nine of whom are vets and one a veterinary nurse, it said the size of the council was unwieldy and out of step with most other regulatory bodies which have a majority of lay members.

The other nine members consist of four nominees of the Minister for Agriculture, two of the National University of Ireland, and one each of the Minister for Education, the Director of Consumer Affairs, and the Food Safety Authority.

The size of the board meant it was “too large to serve as an agile decision-making body”, according to the review.

It recommended that the number of members should be reduced to nine or ten and that external members should constitute a majority of the new council.

It found existing council members did not demonstrate a uniformly strong understanding of their role and responsibilities.

The review said primary legislation would be required to give effect to some of the recommendations while significant work would also be required in relation to new policies, procedures, documentation, and training.

It also proposed a streamlining of the council’s existing eight committees which, it claimed, were “unnecessarily burdensome” as well as a strengthening of its executive team.

The council’s president, Peadar Ó Scanaill, it was fortunate to benefit from the broad range of expertise and wisdom of the varied profile of its members.

“It is prudent practice to periodically review our structures and governing legislation to ensure it provides the best platform for the most effective and efficient regulation of veterinary services in Ireland,” he said.