Ireland’s new vet school, yet to be confirmed, should favour students who have a genuine interest in working with cattle and should require no more than 400 points in the Leaving Cert, a well-known rural vet has said.

Gerald Roarty from Donegal Animal Hospital suggested that, along with the lower points requirement, a feeder system from agricultural colleges and vet nursing programmes should be developed whereby the top three students from each would automatically gain entry.

Ten per cent of the college places should also be kept for Northern Ireland students as there is no vet school in the six counties, Roarty said.

He claimed that UCD’s vet school is “failing miserably” to produce graduates who stay in cattle practice in the remote parts of Ireland.

Its graduating vets are simply not cut out for the vocation, he said.

“Too many people who get into veterinary don’t understand farming.

“It can cost upwards of a quarter of a million euro to produce a vet and many stay in farm practice for only a few short years.

“Four Bs and two Cs got you into vet school when I was young. There are too many private schools hot housing students to get 620 points,” he said.

“In Donegal there are 27 post-primary schools and just seven of those schools have sent a student to UCD vet school.

“It’s always a massive problem to retain vets in Donegal and it’s becoming a huge animal welfare issue,” he said.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that University of Limerick is currently in poll position to secure approval to develop Ireland’s second only veterinary college.

Five third-level institutions are in the mix to educate and train more vet students.