To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any actions his Department has taken since publication of the January 2022 Strategic Investment Board situational analysis on a veterinary school in Northern Ireland.

Following the publication of the Strategic Investment Board’s (SIB) situational analysis and baseline report in 2022, it was recognised that further work to advance a business case was required and this now rested with the third level educational institutes. To date, whilst both Queen’s University, Belfast and University of Ulster (UU) have voiced an interest in offering a veterinary course, either separately or together, no viable proposals for a veterinary school in NI supported by a funded business case have emerged.

I met with the Vice Chair of the UU to discuss their ambitions including any plans for introducing veterinary related courses in May 2024, and any considerations they had around a veterinary school within NI.

No further discussions have been sought or undertaken by the third-level institutions with my Department on this matter however, DAERA remain committed, where requested, to discuss with and support educational institutes on relevant aspects related to DAERA’s responsibilities should they seek to progress a business case for a veterinary school in NI.

In addition, at a meeting with the Working Group for Reform in Veterinary Education in August 2024, the key causes of the challenges facing the veterinary profession were discussed, including the limited numbers of vets studying and qualifying in Ireland.

After the announcement in 2024 of two new veterinary schools in Ireland by Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, I raised the issue of student mobility at the North South Ministerial Council so as to allow access to veterinary places offered in Ireland to students coming from NI.

My Department contacted the Department for the Economy (DfE) in February 2025, who advised that if required they are happy to work closely with DAERA to provide support to the Universities to advance a business case for the establishment of a veterinary school in NI, however they also confirmed that it would not be for the DfE to take a decision on, or to fund, a veterinary school.

To date, no further actions, other to those outlined above, have been taken by my Department regarding a veterinary school in NI, and no viable proposals supported by a funded business case have emerged from the tertiary education sector.

However, Queen’s University, Belfast have recently announced the launch of a BSc (Hons) Veterinary Biosciences degree programme which will be available from September 2026 and will respond to the growing demand for skilled professionals in veterinary science and animal health.

Whilst DAERA is a key employer within the veterinary sector and as such has a vested interest in securing such a talent pipeline, issues around workforce planning for the veterinary sector sits within the remit of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).