The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) has formally approved new accreditation standards for programmes in veterinary medicine (VM) and veterinary nursing (VN).

VCI described this as “a significant milestone in the continued development of veterinary education in Ireland”.

The decision was made by the council under its statutory remit set out in the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which provides the council with responsibility for setting and maintaining standards of veterinary education and training in the state.

The newly approved standards will come into operation on July 31, 2026 and will apply to all existing and future programmes seeking accreditation by the VCI.

According to the VCI, these updated standards establish clear, contemporary benchmarks across key areas including curriculum design, clinical training, facilities, staffing, governance, and graduate outcomes.

They are underpinned by defined 'Day One Competencies', which set out the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours expected of graduates.

Standards

The standards have been developed following consultation and engagement with higher education institutions, accreditation experts, and stakeholders across the veterinary profession.

Submissions received throughout the process have informed and strengthened the final framework approved by the council.

VCI president Joe Walsh said: “These standards reflect both the evolving nature of veterinary practise and the council’s commitment to ensuring that graduates are equipped to meet the highest standards of animal welfare, veterinary public health, and public protection.

“Their input has been instrumental in shaping a robust and forward-looking framework for veterinary education in Ireland.”

The standards are aligned with relevant European and international accreditation frameworks, supporting the continued recognition and mobility of Irish veterinary graduates.

Salaries

Separately, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said that government departments “have no role" in salary scales for those in privately operated veterinary practices.

The minister said this in response to recent parliamentary questions from Fine Gael TD Colm Burke.

Deputy Burke asked the minister if consideration would be given to the introduction of “salary bands for registered veterinary nurses to ensure that they reflect the qualification status, and in particular taking into account the additional hidden costs incurred by registered veterinary nurses annually”.

Minister Heydon said that government departments "have no role in setting, prescribing or regulating salary scales for employees of private sector organisations, including those working in privately-operated veterinary practices".

The minister added: “Pay and conditions in the veterinary sector are matters for individual employers and employees, or their representative bodies, and are determined through normal contractual arrangements and labour-market negotiations."