Three newly registered veterinary nurses from Letterkenny Institute of Technology are among the new members welcomed to the Veterinary Council of Ireland in 2020.
The Veterinary Council of Ireland, the statutory body responsible for the regulation and management of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing in the state, has recorded 133 new vets and 48 new veterinary nurses on its register so far this year.
This influx of talent has been hailed as a positive sign as new members are set to benefit animal health and welfare across Ireland.
The total current number of vets and veterinary nurses on the Veterinary Council register is 2,938 and 1,019 respectively.
Of the newly registered veterinary nurses, 35 received their veterinary nursing qualification from UCD, 3 received their qualification from Letterkenny Institute of Technology, 3 from Athlone Institute of Technology, 2 from Saint John’s College Cork, with the remaining 5 receiving their qualifications overseas.
Niamh Muldoon, CEO and Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, said “The high number of newly registered vets this year is a positive sign for the profession and shows growth in the veterinary industry. It is the Council’s hope that the influx of new vets will help to meet the demands and recruitment challenges experienced by some under-serviced rural areas, particularly relevant to large animal practices. In order to address the issue of vet shortages, the Veterinary Council is analysing data and plans to conduct further research to inform possible solutions to this issue.”
