645. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support the introduction of salary bands for veterinary nurses (details supplied); and if he will support Government funding to support practices employing registered veterinary nurses enabling fair pay without passing the entire cost onto pet owners and farmers. [28022/26]

Government Departments have no role in setting, prescribing or regulating salary scales for employees of private sector organisations, including those working in privately-operated veterinary practices.

Pay and conditions in the veterinary sector are matters for individual employers and employees, or their representative bodies, and are determined through normal contractual arrangements and labour-market negotiations.

The Veterinary Council of Ireland which regulates the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing has no statutory function in relation to remuneration and neither does my Department.  Accordingly, any salary structures or pay scale considerations for Registered Veterinary Nurses or other staff within private veterinary practices remain entirely outside the remit of Government pay policy.