The Veterinary Council of Ireland (Comhairle na d’Treidlia) is a Statutory Body, the principal function which is to regulate and manage the practice of veterinary medicine

Veterinary medicine

Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...

 and veterinary nursing in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 in the public interest.
The current enabling legislation is the Veterinary Practice Act (SI 22/2005).
Council is made up of 19 members, of which 9 are elected Veterinary Practitioners, 1 elected Veterinary Nurse and 9 appointed members. The appointed members are nominees of:
• Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (4),
• Minister for Education and Science (1)
• National University of Ireland

National University of Ireland

The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...

 (2)
• Director of Consumer Affairs (1)
• Food Safety Authority (1).

World Veterinary Year

The Veterinary Council of Ireland hosted special ceremony on 14th February 2011 at 2.00pm in the Royal Dublin Society

Royal Dublin Society

The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...

 Concert Hall to mark World Veterinary Year 2011

World Veterinary Year 2011

The year 2011 has been named the World Veterinary Year in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the world’s first veterinary school in Lyon, France, in 1761, shortly followed by the Alfort veterinary school, near Paris, in 1764, both of them at the initiative of French...

. The President of Ireland

President of Ireland

The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...

, Mary McAleese

Mary McAleese

Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...

, attended the ceremony as guest of honour. The Veterinary Council has decided to mark this important year for the profession by awarding commemorative medals to veterinary surgeons who have served the profession on the island of Ireland over the past 50 or more years. Veterinary surgeons who have been registered in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 for the same period were also invited to receive a medal.
The world’s first veterinary school was founded in Lyon

Lyon

Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, in 1761, shortly followed by the Alfort

École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort

The École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort is a school of veterinary medicine located at 7, avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort, Val-de-Marne, Île-de-France, France...

 veterinary school, near Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, in 1764, both of them at the initiative of French veterinarian, Claude Bourgelat

Claude Bourgelat

Claude Bourgelat was a French veterinary surgeon.Bourgelat was born at Lyon. He was the founder of veterinary colleges at Lyon in 1762, as well as an authority on horse management, and often consulted on the matter...

. By setting up the world’s first veterinary training institutions, Bourgelat created the veterinary profession itself. Thus, 2011 also marks the 250th world anniversary

Anniversary

An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...

 of the veterinary profession

Profession

A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....

.

Officers

• President (2010-11) : Dr. Lindy Vaughan

• Deputy President: (2010-11) Mr. Sean O'Laoide

• Registrar: Valerie Beatty

Contact Information

53 Lansdowne Road
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4
Ireland

Telephone +353 (0)1 668 4402
Fax +353 (0)1 660 4373

Website http://www.vci.ie/index.cfm/loc/1