University preparesbusiness case forveterinary school

Dr Stephen Farry was replying to an Assembly question hy DUP Lagan Valley member Edwin Poots who asked him how his Department is supporting the establishment of the school.

In his reply, Dr Farry said that the proposal was very much in its early stages.

He said: “The University is preparing a business case for this proposal but a full draft has yet to be submitted to my Department.

Once the business case is approved, it may be used to support to bid for additional funding. However, the University has the discretion to offer veterinary courses from within its existing MaSN allocation and funding.

!Veterinary science is one of the highest cost courses to fund.

“In the current financial climate when the grant to the higher education institutions has been reduced and undergraduate places being withdrawn, it may be difficult for an institution to introduce such courses.”