Mr. Keith Moynes:

I am saving up. I hope she is very bright. The Deputy's question is fair. The data we have show that in recent years, between 860 and 1,000 people have applied for veterinary medicine through the CAO process. We know there are 82 places available. We do not have statistics on what proportion of those people who are not successful in their application move away to study but, broadly speaking, one would imagine that a proportion of the cohort goes on to study in central or eastern Europe. There are a few hundred Irish students overseas. Undoubtedly, a proportion of that cohort are studying abroad. A proportion of that cohort probably take their second or third choice. Others might take a year out. Still others might go back and repeat their leaving certificate examinations. There is a variety of choices that people make in that situation.

To answer the second part of the Deputy's question, this boils down to supply and demand. There is no high-demand course in medicine or veterinary medicine that can be matched one for one. One would not want that to be the case because it would misalign with the employment opportunities that are available. However, it is undoubtedly the case that for veterinary medicine, a far higher proportion of people are going overseas to study. That suggests a reasonably high latent demand for veterinary medicine. As already stated, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has said he wants to see more Irish and European students. When we speak of Irish students, we must remember that we have to apply the same rules to EU students. The Minister has said he wants to see more Irish students being given the opportunity to study in Ireland. Any execution through this process is intended to develop additional provision and that is the sort of process involved. I do not think there is any other way to ameliorate the situation except through students choosing other courses. However, if students are determined to study veterinary medicine in Ireland and are not offered one of the 82 places currently available, the only model available is the expansion of the provision.