DEAR EDITOR

It was refreshing to see an objective analysis by Colm McCarthy in last month’s Irish Farmers Journal of the recent government announcement on veterinary education.

In it, he raised a number of red flags about the location, funding, and the selection process used for the proposed new sites.

If the UCD Belfield vet school cost €44m 25 years ago, it remains to be seen how a €50m capital fund will now cover two new schools spread over four separate sites.

That €50m would go a long way towards the delivery of a sustainable, quality veterinary medicine course in the University of Limerick.

To see a further Irish Farmers Journal headline recently with a vow to look at a third further new vet school in the midwest beggars belief. What is needed is one 100-student intake, ranked and properly funded school, located in a major city in the west, eg Limerick, for regional balance and connectivity.

Struggle

Any underfunded, low-ranked offerings will struggle to attract staff, students and professional accreditation.

Irish vet students will continue to take the well-worn paths to Budapest, Poland and the UK, if any new schools here are not viable or are poorly located. The cities of the UK and eastern Europe are a short hop away by plane.

This choice will continue to be exercised by Irish students looking for alternative pathways to veterinary careers, with at least 600 of them currently in vet schools overseas.

One of our most successful exports from the midwest, John Collison of Stripe, recently referenced Ronald Regan’s famous quote: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’.”

We would ask your readers to ask candidates in the upcoming election, their position on this issue of vital importance to animal health and welfare 0n the island of Ireland.