Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 563: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the consideration of proposals to have a medical faculty at the University of Limerick. [8882/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am aware of the proposal by the University of Limerick for the development of a post-graduate medical education programme. As the Deputy will be aware, a working group on undergraduate medical education has been established under the chairmanship of Professor Patrick Fottrell to examine a range of issues with regard to medical education and training. As the Deputy may also be aware, the group has presented interim recommendations for significant reform of the entry mechanism to medical education. These recommendations include the introduction of a multi-streamed model of entry to medicine, comprising undergraduate and graduate entry methods, with leaving certificate performance no longer the sole selection method for entry at undergraduate level. In this context, a copy of the University of Limerick's outline proposal has been forwarded to the working group as part of its consideration of the options for moving forward.