Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 129: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to decide on the location for post-graduate medical education; the number of places that will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40132/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 145: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the provision that will be made for free or subsidised tuition for persons who wish to apply for a place in the proposed post-graduate medical school who can not afford a fee-paying course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40133/06]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 145 together.

On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. As part of these reforms I am increasing the annual number of undergraduate places for Irish and EU students from 305 to 485. I am also introducing a separate graduate entry stream which will provide 240 additional places per annum. These increases, which will be phased in over a five year period, will increase the annual number of medical places from 305 to 725.

The Higher Education Authority has recently issued a competitive call for proposals to provide the new graduate entry programme, with a view to additional places being provided on this programme from 2007. It has been decided that graduate entry will be open to graduates of honours bachelor degrees. The provision of a graduate entry stream is an important development in reducing pressures on aspiring medical students who until now have effectively had one chance of entry, based on their Leaving Certificate performance. This will allow students to make a decision to enter medicine at a more mature age and should result in a more diverse range of entrants into the profession. No decisions have been made on the level of tuition fees for the graduate programme as this will form part of the overall outcome of the competitive call for proposals.