Bill to stop corporate ownership of vets goes to committee
A bill to stop the corporate ownership of veterinary practice has renewed its progress through the Oireachtas.
The Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021, which was originally introduced by former Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill, has now been put to committee stage in the Dáil.
Fianna Fáil TD Peter 'Chap' Cleere has taken over from Cahill as the sponsor of the bill.
Cleere said that the bill seeks to ensure that veterinary practices can only be owned by qualified veterinary practitioners.
According to Cleere, it was "widely understood" before 2016 that veterinary practices can only be owned by registered vets.
However, a change in the interpretation of the legislation subsequently allowed corporate entities to purchase veterinary practices in Ireland.
Cleere said: "In countries where corporate bodies are permitted to purchase veterinary practices, including the UK, we have seen a decline in service levels alongside rising costs for consumers.
"This can lead to restricted opening hours, longer waiting times and, in some cases, animal welfare concerns," the Carlow-Kilkenny TD claimed.
"Ireland has a veterinary service we can be extremely proud of, particularly the 24-hour care provided across both large and small animal practices," he said.
"These services are vital for farmers, pet owners and rural communities alike.
"[The veterinary service] provides a 24-hour service. This is not just for farmers; it also includes small animal practices. They are often the target of corporate entities as they are the most lucrative of practices financially," he added.
According to Cleere, the purpose of the bill is to ensure that veterinary practitioners remain at the centre of veterinary care delivery.
"Veterinary Ireland fully supports this approach as a way of protecting service quality, maintaining accessibility and ensuring costs remain reasonable for consumers," he said.
"I believe that this amendment is necessary to ensure that there is a proper service for those who need it, whether that is someone with a pet dog or a large animal practice," the TD added.
Cleere said his objective it to "safeguard" the high standard of veterinary care that has "existed in Ireland for generations and to ensure that continues into the future".
