Two vets were censured by the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) following proven cases of professional misconduct in relation to TB testing, its report for 2023 reveals.

At a meeting of VCI’s fitness to practise committee on 30 January 2023, the council considered a report from the committee relating to Mr Patrick James Joseph McGinn MVB, Carrick Veterinary Centre, Unit 11 Stead-fast Ind. Est, Dundalk Road, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

The allegations against Mr McGinn related to him certifying to the Department of Agriculture that he had completed TB tests on herds in circumstances where the tests weren’t completed by him. The allegations also related to him permitting an unauthorised veterinary practitioner to conduct TB tests, and the failure to take adequate steps to ensure the veterinary practitioner was authorised.

It was also alleged that he facilitated members of his administrative team with access to his unique identity codes and personal identification number to the Animal Health Computer System. The committee made findings of professional misconduct in respect of the proven allegations and the council directed that Mr McGinn be censured in relation to his professional misconduct. Censuring is where an authority expresses severe disapproval of a person officially.

Roscrea vet

At its meeting on 29 June 2023, the council considered a report from the committee relating to Dr James Fuller MVB, Grange, Carrick Hill, Roscrea, Co Tipperary.

The allegations against Dr Fuller related to him failing to test adequately or at all one or more animals when conducting TB tests on herds, recording tag numbers and skin measurements for one or more animals in a TB test when they had not been tested adequately or at all, recording that one or more animals had been tested when they had not been tested adequately or at all, and certifying to the Department of Agriculture that he had completed the TB test as required.He was also censured.