Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her Department had discussions with the University of Limerick regarding a proposal to establish a postgraduate medical school; if the proposal is or ever was Government policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8344/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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On 1 February I and the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, announced details of a major reform programme in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training, based on the recommendations in the report of the working group on undergraduate medical education and training, chaired by Professor Pat Fottrell, and the report of the postgraduate medical education and training group, chaired by Dr. Jane Buttimer. Both reports were published on that date.

One of the agreed reforms at undergraduate level involves the introduction of a new graduate entry programme for medicine from 2007, as part of the overall expansion of medical places for Irish and EU students from 305 to 725 places over a four year period. At the request of the president of the University of Limerick, I met a delegation from the university on 30 January 2006. The purpose of the meeting was to brief me on the university's proposal for the provision of a new graduate entry programme in medical education. Responsibility for decisions as to the appropriate arrangements for the provision of graduate entry programmes will rest with the Higher Education Authority. I understand that, in accordance with the recent Government decision on the Fottrell and Buttimer reports, the authority will issue shortly a call for proposals for the provision of new graduate entry programmes from 2007.