North Tipperary Deputy Noel Coonan TD has moved to allay concerns concerning the transfer of staff from the Tipperary Veterinary Office to the Garda Vetting Unit, by saying that a front-line presence will remain in the local DVO including a counter service and the office will remain open for business.
Speaking to Thurles.Info today the deputy stated, “I contacted Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney seeking clarification about future staffing at the DVO and I also expressed the concerns of Tipperary farmers who are understandably anxious about this issue. In response, Minister Coveney has issued me with the following reply:-
“The Department is currently reviewing the administrative support for its 16 District Veterinary Office and in particular, the centralisation of this support in one or more centralised office(s). Centralising administrative procedures would enable the Department to reduce the number of administrative staff it requires to support District Veterinary Office operations and reduce the cost of providing its services.
The administrative functions for Cork have been recently centralised in Cork city and the administrative functions in the Limerick DVO will shortly be transferred to Naas.
The centralisation of administrative functions in other regional offices will be considered in light of the availability of opportunities to redeploy the staff concerned to support other critical public services.
There are no plans to transfer the veterinary service out of the Tipperary office or to close the office, which will continue to be available to the public. Administrative staff are moving to the Garda Vetting Unit in Tipperary town, but a full front-line presence will be maintained in the local Tipperary DVO, including counter service – the office will remain open for business.”
Isn’t the Garda Vetting unit based in Thurles?
Yes, but I understand there is an office in Tipperary Town also.