Mr John Michael Dalton MVB MRCVS Upper Cahir Abbey, Cahir, Co Tipperary, was suspended from the veterinary register for six months due to findings of professional misconduct, a report has found.

According to the Veterinary Council of Ireland’s (VCI) report for 2022, the allegations against the Tipperary-based vet related to the prescribing of animal remedies.

Dalton was the only vet in 2022 to receive a suspension. No suspensions were handed out in 2021 and four were handed out in 2020.

It was alleged Mr Dalton, contrary to Animal Remedies Regulations, failed to maintain appropriate records in relation to the prescribing of animal remedies, signed blank prescriptions, failed to complete relevant sections of horse passports for which phenylbutazone had been prescribed and failed to maintain appropriate records, invoices or statements in respect of professional services.

“The FTP [fitness to practise] committee made findings of professional misconduct in respect of these allegations and the Council directed that his registration on the Register of Veterinary Practitioners be suspended for a period of six months and that conditions relating to audits of his practice be attached to his registration,” the report said.

These sanctions, imposed by the VCI council, were affirmed by the High Court.

When asked what type of animal the misconducts related to, the VCI said in a statement: “We cannot provide details relating to applications for inquiries into fitness to practise other than those contained in the annual reports.”

Implications

When a person has their registration suspended for a specified period, they must not practise veterinary medicine or veterinary nursing during that period, the VCI said.

Meanwhile, the report showed that a total of 36 complaints were made to the VCI in 2022, just one of which related to cattle.

There was an overall decrease of 29 complaints in 2022, down from 65 in 2021.