Two new veterinary colleges have been announced by the Taoiseach and Ministers Patrick O'Donovan and Charlie McConalogue.
The new schools will be located at the South East Technological University campus in Kilkenny, and at Atlantic Technological University campuses in Donegal and Galway.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said that from listening to farmers and vets across rural Ireland that there is a "real need" for a regional balance in the provision of veterinary services.
"There are often shortages of vets in rural and regional Ireland, particularly for large animals and the location of new vet colleges outside Dublin may help assist with that and support our rural communities".
Ministers O'Donovan and McConalogue made the announcement at the National Ploughing Championships at Ratheniska in Co Laois.
The decision is expected to result in an additional 80 veterinary medicine graduates per year.
Minister O'Donovan said the move was monumental step forward for Irish education and Irish agriculture.
"Too often many of our brightest students with aspirations of becoming veterinarians have had to look overseas to pursue their studies.
"With the formation of these new schools we are offering more students who wish to study veterinary medicine the opportunity to learn and thrive in their academic careers here at home, to pursue their studies within an Irish context, and contribute directly to our agricultural, agri-food, and public health sectors."
It is anticipated students will be able to access the courses from next year.
The Cabinet will be informed of the allocation of €50m in capital expenditure to advance these projects when it meets.
UCD has been the only provider for veterinary medicine in Ireland since the 1970s.
Minister McConalogue said that the new courses will develop students to rural Ireland, and address the evolving challenges facing agriculture, from animal health to food safety and climate change.
"The establishment of these colleges will also help promote a better regional spread of educational and professional opportunities," he said.
The Veterinary Council of Ireland welcomed the Government's announcement and said that it will apply accreditation standards to any new veterinary medicine courses.
The Council said that this accreditation enables professional recognition in Ireland which then further affords access to registration in the UK, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.
Niamh Muldoon, CEO of the Veterinary Council of Ireland said that the additional graduates are greatly needed in the sector.
"The sector has seen an increased demand not only for veterinary practitioners, but also for critical agri-food research and development roles.
"As the regulator for the sector, the Council will be pleased to apply our accreditation assessment and standards to any new applicant programmes of veterinary medicine.
"This will be done to ensure the high standards of veterinary medicine enjoyed in Ireland are maintained, in the interest of animal health and welfare, public health, and Ireland’s agri-food sector."
The next phase of planning will begin between the HEA (Higher Education Authority) and the HEI (Higher Education Institutions), and the Ministers and their Departments will continue to work closely to help progress and support the delivery of the new schools.
