The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently seeking temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) for meat plants throughout the country.

The department engages Private Veterinary Practitioners (PVPs) annually to support DAFM veterinary inspectors in the provision of meat inspection services at DAFM-approved slaughter plants.

This year, DAFM is seeking to fill a total of 34 TVIs positions, with seven meat plants needing three TVIs each.

The department provided a list of meat plants where the temporary positions are required, as follows:

The current hourly fee payable for meat inspection services is €91.09, which has increased from €87.33 last year.

The department noted that the hourly fee takes account of the fact that TVIs are paid on a fee basis for hours engaged.

This rate of payment also reflects the fact that the department is not liable for any form of paid absence, and that all other entitlements, including pension and sick pay, are solely available through the TVI's social welfare contributions, through deductions from their fee income.

The department said that the application process consists of several stages and applicants will only be offered a position on the panel if they fulfil all the requirements at each stage.

Suitably qualified candidates must be a veterinary practitioner registered with the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI).

Individuals, who have been permanently removed from meat plant panels arising from concerns in respect of their conduct or performance, will be considered ineligible to apply for placement on a panel.

An upper age limit of 70 will also apply for new entrants to the panels.

Applicants may select up to four panels in their order of preference for which they wish to be considered and these must be numbered.

Where more applications are received than required for a panel, a lottery system will be applied.

The closing date for applications to be submitted is Monday, March 3 at 5:00p.m.

Applicants will be required to undertake mandatory training (without payment) consisting of a department-approved online induction course on legal requirements and ante and post-mortem systems and procedures.

They will also undertake 30 hours on-the-job training at the meat plant.

At the end of the training period the applicant’s capability will be subject to assessment by a veterinary inspector.