Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the graduate entry medical training scheme will commence at the start of the next academic year; if a decision has been made on the extent to which the doctor training scheme will be subsided; if a decision has been made on the level of tuition fees for the graduate programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8102/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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On 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 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. The call for proposals provides that the graduate entry programme will be supported by a combination of student fees, state funding and other income and proposers were asked to address these issues in their submissions. The call for proposals also required bidders to outline specific arrangements regarding access for under-represented groups. The extent of the subsidy and the level of fees for the graduate entry programme cannot therefore be addressed until the proposals have been fully examined and the recommendations received by my Department.