Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for sharing that information from his constituent who is studying on the Magee campus of Ulster University in Derry. I will raise that matter directly with the Minister for Health. I should be clear that what I am doing with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, in respect of the courses and places we intend to fund will be from this coming September. Without knowing the details, it sounds like the student in question is already studying in Northern Ireland in advance of the new scheme and initiative I am hoping to put in place for this September in Belfast and hopefully in Derry. If the Deputy provides details of the matter to me, I will be happy to raise it with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. He and all the Government wish to ensure we attract as many doctors as possible, particularly doctors and students who are studying on the island of Ireland, to work in the Irish health service.

In the coming weeks, I will be finalising with the universities in Northern Ireland their capacity and appetite for accepting funding from the Government to provide medicine places that can be ring-fenced for students from this jurisdiction. It is an important initiative to keep people studying on the island of Ireland. With the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, we will be finalising what that means in terms of opportunities on graduation for internship and placements within the HSE.

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