Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on plans by the University of Limerick to develop a graduate school of medicine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40784/06]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the Higher Education Authority will be issuing a call for proposals for the new graduate entry stream to medical training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40785/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 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 will be open to the University of Limerick to submit a proposal in relation to the development of a graduate school of medicine under this competitive process. Proposals, which are to be submitted by the end of January 2007, will be assessed by an international panel of experts. It is anticipated that the results will be available by March 2007.