The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has embarked on a recruitment drive for veterinary inspectors.

The department is seeking "suitably qualified, committed individuals" to fill a number of vacancies across the country in its Veterinary Inspectorate Services.

According to DAFM, veterinary inspectors play a vital role in protecting public health, the human food and animal feed chains and safeguarding the health and welfare of the national herd.

The salary scale for the permanent position ranges from €70,064-€120,540, with a starting annual leave allowance of 27 days/year.

Veterinary inspectors

The successful candidates will be deployed across the department to enforce controls related to public health, animal health and animal welfare.

Veterinary inspectors are responsible for evaluating meat factories, milk processing plants, livestock marts and animals' breeding premises for approval and the applying or enforcing of controls in such businesses.

They supervise controls on animal identification and food safety management systems to ensure robust traceability systems.

They also implement animal health and disease eradication/control programmes across all farmed species both on farms and at meat plants.

The inspectors promote and enforce animal welfare legislation, including on farm, during transport and at slaughter.

While they can also be part of contingency planning around exotic animal disease such as avian influenza (bird flu) and bluetongue.

Staff located at border-control posts check imported animals and products of animal origin to safeguard animal and public health.

DAFM

According to the department, the veterinary inspector posts may be based in any one of 23 locations around the country.

The posts could be located in Carlow; Cavan; Clare; Cork; Donegal; Dublin; Galway; Kerry; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Leitrim; Limerick; Longford; Mayo; Meath; Monaghan; Offaly; Roscommon; Tipperary; Waterford; Westmeath or Wexford.

Some of the locations where vacancies arise may include one or more Border Control Posts within their area.

Candidates who are successful at interview stage and are placed on the panel will be contacted by DAFM to ascertain the location(s) where they would be willing to be take up duty.

Applicants must have a degree in veterinary medicine recognised by the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) and be eligible for entry on the register of veterinary practitioners.

Once appointed, the veterinary inspectors will undertake induction training and on the job training will be provided.

The department said applications must be submitted by 3:00p.m on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Interviews are expected to get underway from April.