The publicly-quoted British animal care company CVS is eyeing expansion into the Irish market.

It’s beginning to move out of Britain and has just bought vet clinics in the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, but it’s also anxious to expand in the Republic and according to CVS chief executive, Stuart Innes who spoke to Vincent Wall on Breakfast Business.

He believes the Irish sector is ripe for consolidation as other professional services such as opticians have experienced in the past.

The former Vision Express boss hopes that CVS can bring specialised services to Ireland like night vets and services for horses - he's also actively seeking a site for a new pet crematorium.

He told Newstalk that is his experience less young vets are "interested in business ownership."

Mr Innes is ready to get into the Irish market: "I've always been keen on the whole of Ireland. When I was in Vision Express we had practices in Dublin and we had in Cork and they were very successful," he said.

The company is holding "tentative talks" with Irish vet owners and it is open to approaches from Irish vet owners who would like to partner with CVS.

It hopes to establish itself as the leading corporate operator in the Irish veterinary market.