A new veterinary science degree in Atlantic Technological University will welcome its first students in autumn 2026.
The new Veterinary School at ATU was slated to open last autumn, but the college reportedly delayed admissions in order to upgrade infrastructure at its Letterkenny and Mountbellew, Co Galway, campuses where at least 30 students will begin the new Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS ) program.
Up to 80 students will commence veterinary studies in ATU and Waterford’s SETU next year, as part of the Government’s Veterinary Places Activation Programme (VPAP ).
Galway West TD, Minister Hildegarde Naughton, said she has been pushing for the first vet course in the west of Ireland for 80 years, and welcomed its approval by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, last week.
“This is a significant announcement that will provide additional places for students wishing to study veterinary science in the west,” she said.
“I have been in regular contact with my colleague, Minster Martin Heydon, to get this over the line and I am delighted he is able to announce this today. A strong pipeline of graduates is essential in safeguarding animal health, supporting farm productivity, and maintaining Ireland’s reputation for high-quality produce.
“This new school will help ensure that our farming communities and food producers have access to the skilled professionals they need, as well as providing opportunities for students to study closer to home, benefitting our communities in these regions and throughout the country.”
Minister Naughton thanked Dr Orla Flynn, president of ATU, in her statement noting the new school’s formal approval. The college is currently recruiting staff for what will become the first veterinary medicine teaching hospital in the west of Ireland.
For almost a century, veterinarians in Ireland have qualified only in Dublin or Belfast.
The news come as British authorities report that since Brexit, applications from EU-trained vets have fallen by up to 68 per cent because of changes to the UK’s skilled worker visa rules, and increased paperwork requirements. Irish-qualified vets are not affected.
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe say there are shortages of vets across the Continent, especially in rural areas.
