45.—(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act, subject to subsection (4), and, on satisfying itself of the need to effect registration under this section for any of the purposes specified in subsection (2), the Council, on application to it in writing in that behalf by a person to whom subsection (3) applies, in accordance with regulations under section 52(1), and, on payment to it of the fee prescribed under section 33, shall register a person as a veterinary practitioner with limited registration (in this Act referred to as “limited registration”).

(2) The Council shall be satisfied that the person making the application is required—

(a) to participate in a disease eradication programme, or

(b) to participate in the provision of approved programmes of education or further education.

(3) This subsection applies to a person who—

(a) satisfies the Council that he or she has the requisite knowledge and skill for the purposes of subsection (2),

(b) is of good character and repute and is not an undischarged bankrupt,

(c) shows to the satisfaction of the Council that he or she has sufficient linguistic skills for the purposes of paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2), as appropriate,

(d) has not been convicted by a court in the State or elsewhere, of an offence that, in the opinion of the Council, is such as to render the person unfit to practise veterinary medicine, and

(e) is not prohibited from practising or suspended from practice of, veterinary medicine, either under Part 7, or provisions corresponding to those contained in that Part in force in another state, by reason of a conviction for an offence, or serious misconduct in connection with carrying out of professional duties as a veterinary practitioner.

(4) Limited registration of a person may be made subject to such conditions as the Council considers it appropriate to impose including conditions specifying—

(a) the duration of such registration,

(b) the places where the person may practise veterinary medicine,

(c) the class or classes of treatments or procedures that may be carried out by the person,

(d) attendance at a specified programme of further education following such registration,

(e) supervision of the practice of veterinary medicine by the person by specified veterinary practitioners for specified periods of time after the registration of the person under this section.

(5) The Council may amend conditions imposed under subsection (4) during the period of registration under this section where it is of opinion that it is appropriate to do so.

(6) The Council shall enter any conditions imposed under subsection (4), or any amendments to them, in the Register and in the certificate of registration that is issued to the person concerned.

(7) A person who is registered under this section shall not put themselves forward for election, and shall not vote in respect of an election of members to the Council unless the person has been so registered for not less than 3 consecutive years.

(8) If the Council decides that a person who applies to it for limited registration should not be so registered, or that the person should be so registered subject to conditions, or that the conditions imposed under subsection (4) should be amended, it shall notify the person in writing as soon as practicable stating the decision, the reason for the decision and the date on which it was made.

(9) A person who receives a notification under subsection (8) may appeal to the High Court against the decision specified in the notification within a period of 3 months beginning on the date of such receipt.

(10) On the hearing of an appeal under this section, the High Court may make—

(a) an order affirming or setting aside any decision of the Council relating to the application for limited registration concerned or to amend any conditions subject to which a person has been registered,

(b) an order remitting the application for limited registration or the decision to impose conditions or to amend conditions imposed by the Council in relation to such registration, with or without directions to the Council, for reconsideration and the making of a new decision in relation to it, or

(c) any other order that it considers appropriate.

(11) For the purposes of subsection (2)(a) “disease eradication programme” means measures operated by or on behalf of a Minister to prevent, reduce the risk of, control or eradicate a disease (being a disease within the meaning of section 2 of the Diseases of Animals Act 1966).