Irish Examiner view: Access to veterinary training must widen

Having one location for veterinary training is an obvious impediment for prospective students.

The number of qualified vets registered in Ireland shows an odd imbalance when it comes to their qualifications — specifically, where they got those qualifications.

Only 80 of the vets who registered with the Veterinary Council of Ireland last year received their qualifications from Ireland, while the remaining 222 graduated from accredited schools abroad.

Drilling into those numbers brings us to fresh revelations: UCD is the sole college offering veterinary training, so demand outstrips the supply of places. 

There are between 135 and 140 places on the course each year, but only 82 of those are obtained through the CAO system. The remainder is for international students and graduates.

This is a cause for concern on several fronts.

Having one location for veterinary training is an obvious impediment for prospective students, and the fact that the relevant college is in Dublin, with all of the associated costs of living in the capital, creates a further disincentive for prospective vets outside the capital.

The limited number of places for Irish students is another issue; almost 50 places on the UCD course are reserved for North American students alone, for instance, reducing still further the opportunities available to native students.

These factors work against the veterinary profession itself. They militate against a whole cohort of students from a wider variety of backgrounds entering the profession and refreshing its membership, the key to any profession remaining progressive and forward-thinking.

Given the importance of the agriculture industry to the Irish economy, it is of paramount importance that Irish vets are of the highest possible standard. 

It is long past time for veterinary training to become available to more Irish students, and in more Irish locations, in order to maintain and improve those standards.