Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to return to the nurse transitioning to being a doctor because I am very concerned about how training for medicine is designed. I can offer a case example. The person has a degree in biochemistry and an M.Sc. in molecular medicine, both from Trinity College Dublin, and has pursued the aim of being a medical doctor since the age of 14 years. In 2016, after working full-time in a hospital research department and spending every minute of spare time studying for the graduate Australian medical schools admissions test, GAMSAT, examination, the person thought things were finally coming good. The person was offered a place in the graduate entry route in the University of Limerick, but after applying for a loan from the Bank of Ireland was refused on the grounds that the person did not have a guarantor who had at least €700 minimum disposable income each month. The person was given this news after the induction day in the University of Limerick and is truly torn and heartbroken.

That is an example of the man-made and woman-made obstacles that are put in the way, not only by the protectionism inside the system but also by outsiders colluding, as in the case of the financial institutions. That is the challenge we have. I do not know if the witnesses will have time for a short comment on that.