19 September 2024

Kildalton and Mountbellew involvement in new vet schools

Kildalton College and Mountbellew Agricultural College, both centres of excellence in agricultural education, will have a key role to play in the delivery of the two new veterinary medicine programmes announced yesterday.

Yesterday, September 18 at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Taoiseach Simon Harris T.D., Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. announced plans to deliver two new veterinary schools located at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the South East Technological University (SETU).

Charlie McConalogue T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Patrick O’Donovan T.D., Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity; Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director and Liam Herlihy, Teagasc Chairman are pictured at the announcement of two new veterinary schools to be located at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in the west of the country and South East Technological University (SETU). Picture: O’Gorman Photography.

Described as a “significant milestone”, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “The delivery of two new veterinary schools will help address the need for an increased supply of veterinary professionals in Ireland and will support the agricultural and agri-food sectors, while providing Irish students with more opportunities to pursue veterinary studies without having to seek their education abroad.”

Echoing the Taoiseach’s comments, Minister O’Donovan said: “With the formation of these new schools we are offering more students who wish to study veterinary medicine the opportunity to learn and thrive in their academic careers here at home, to pursue their studies within an Irish context, and contribute directly to our agricultural, agri-food, and public health sectors.”

Two new veterinary schools

To support the development of the new veterinary schools, funding from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science will be allocated to support the development of state-of-the-art facilities, faculty recruitment, and the creation of innovative educational programmes tailored to meet the unique needs of Ireland’s veterinary landscape.

These two new veterinary programmes will be located at the South East Technological University (SETU) and the Atlantic Technological University (ATU). SETU’s programme will build on its 50-year partnership with Teagasc at Kildalton College in the delivery of agricultural science education, and the ATU’s new Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery programme will be delivered through a dual-campus model, primarily based at ATU Donegal in conjunction with Mountbellew Agricultural College.

Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, Dr Edna Curley, Principal of Mountbellew Agricultural College and Dr Joanne Gallagher, Head of the Faculty of Science and Health at ATU Donegal. Image source: Atlantic Technological University

By combining with both SETU and ATU in the delivery of both veterinary programmes, veterinary students will have access to the state of the art facilities already available at both the Kildalton College and Mountbellew Agricultural College campuses to aid in the delivery of the practical elements of training.

Speaking after the announcement, Principal of Kildalton College, Tim Ashmore said: “Kildalton College is delighted to continue our partnership with SETU and to expand it further to encompass its veterinary degree programme. Our college’s dairy and beef herds and sheep flock, along with our dedicated equine training programme and facilities, will allow future veterinary students to gain valuable hands-on learning in an already established training centre. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming the first tranche of SETU’s veterinary students to Kildalton College where they will gain valuable insights in practical learning.”

Also commenting following the announcement, Principal of Mountbellew Agricultural College, Dr Edna Curley said: “This is a momentous development for both our institution and the wider region and will provide students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, including upgraded animal handling facilities, dairy development and large animal simulators ensuring they receive the highest level of practical training. This will not only benefit the veterinary profession but also the broader agricultural industry by ensuring there are more qualified professionals in Ireland.”

Featured image caption: In the lead-up to South East Technological University’s (SETU) selection to provide a new veterinary programme, SETU and Teagasc Kildalton College hosted Veterinary Ireland for an informative tour of the Piltown college’s facilities. Pictured were Prof. Veronica Campbell, SETU President, Tim Ashmore, College Principal of Teagasc Kildalton College, and representatives of Veterinary Ireland. Photograph by Mary Browne, Browne’s Photography