Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I could not agree more. That is exactly what we are trying to do. Yes, we need to increase the size of the tertiary education system and we are doing so year-on-year. However, we also need to increase it specifically in areas where we know there is one of two things - a need for more people to work in that area from a public services point of view or a demand for more students to study in the area that is not being currently met. Throughout 2023 we have done a number of exercises in respect of healthcare and veterinary medicine where we have asked the education system what more it can do on nursing, medicine, therapy places and dentistry.

We are working with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the line Minister, the Minister for Health, to see how we can fund that in the context of the NDP capital review. Next year we will do further work on other key areas. We will also work to ensure all institutions on the island of Ireland are helping to contribute to the skills needs of our island. That is why we now have ring-fenced a number of healthcare places in Queens University and the University of Ulster.

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