Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to consider the provision of a post-graduate entry veterinary degree course in a higher education college here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34108/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently no proposals to introduce a Graduate entry programme in Veterinary Medicine. However, the Veterinary Medicine programme in University College Dublin has, since 2001, had a process to admit a small number of graduates. This is a separate entry route, but not a separate programme: the curriculum followed by the graduate entrants is the same as that pursued by school-leavers. Application is made through the CAO. All applicants sit an examination, the GAMSAT examination (Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test) which tests reasoning ability and critical thinking. Selection for the programme is based on the applicants' performance in the examination, previous third level success and prior evidence of veterinary experience. A minimum of five entry places (from a total of 90 places) has been allocated to graduate entrants every year for the last six years.