Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a decision will be made on the location of postgraduate medical education; if she plans to have just one course centre or if there will be more than one location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5070/07]

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 194: 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. [4880/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 194 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 will increase the annual number of medical places from 305 to 725.

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. Graduate entry, which will be open to second class honours, grade one graduates of all disciplines, 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.

The Higher Education Authority issued a competitive call for proposals to provide the new graduate entry programme on 24th November 2006, with a view to the additional places being provided on this programme in 2007. The closing date for receipt of the proposals was 31st January 2007. These proposals will now be examined by an independent panel of experts. It is expected that recommendations on the location or locations of the new programme will be made to my Department in March 2007.

In the meantime, details of the applications and selection procedure for entry to the new programme have recently been publicised. The applications process will be managed by the Central Applications Office (CAO), with a closing date of 1 March 2007. Entry to the new programmes is open to candidates who hold, or expect to hold by July 2007, a minimum II:1 (second class honours, grade one) result in their honours bachelor degree (NFQ Level 8) or equivalent.

Candidates will be asked to undertake a separate admissions test, known as GAMSAT (Graduate Medical Schools Admission Test — Ireland), which will be used to select students for the programme. The GAMSAT test will take place on 24 March and on-line applications to sit this must also be made by 1 March 2007 to the Australian Council for Educational Research. Once decisions on the location of the new places have been finalised, those who have already applied for graduate medicine will be asked by the CAO to amend their course choice by indicating their institution of preference.