The Veterinary Council of Ireland has welcomed 189 new vets and 82 new veterinary nurses to its register to date in 2022.
The VCI is the statutory body responsible for the regulation and management of the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing in the state.
It believes the influx of “additional” talent will benefit animal health and welfare in Ireland.
According to the body, the total number of vets and veterinary nurses on its register currently stands at 3,281 and 1,189, respectively.
It says registrations are “all-time high” in terms of the number of veterinary professionals working in Ireland.
These registrant numbers are “welcomed”, it says, in the context of increased demand for veterinary services and ongoing recruitment challenges in these rapidly growing and developing professions.
Of the 189 newly registered vets, 54 were awarded their Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from UCD.
Studying veterinary overseas
The remaining vets graduated from several schools of veterinary medicine abroad as follows:
- Budapest University of Veterinary Science: 35 newly registered vets;
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences: 12 newly registered vets.
Of the newly registered veterinary nurses:
- 33 received their veterinary nursing qualification from UCD;
- 18 from Athlone Institute of Technology;
- 7 from Dundalk Institute of Technology;
- 17 from St John’s Central Cork;
- 14 from Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
The three counties which are home to the largest numbers of registrants are:
- Dublin with 700 (456 vets and 244 nurses);
- Cork with 509 registrants (356 vets and 153 vet nurses);
- Tipperary with 284 (233 vets and 51 nurses).
Register with VCI
Vets from throughout Europe are eligible to register with the Veterinary Council of Ireland through the Professional Qualifications Directive.
This facilitates the free movement of veterinary practitioners within the EU through the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
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