Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 652: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a scheme is planned or is in operation whereby students from Saudi Arabia are educated as general nurses here; if so, the length of time negotiations have been ongoing; if recent cuts in student nurse numbers will be reflected in the corresponding numbers of students from Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15891/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2008 the Department of Health and Children announced a reduction in nursing education requirements, based on demand projections and financial considerations. As a result the number of places on the undergraduate nursing degree programmes was reduced by 310 places, from a total of 1,880 to 1,570. The reduction affected all 13 higher education institutions across the country which provide this programme.

Since early 2009 the higher education institutions led by the Institute of Technology, Tralee, in conjunction with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) have been exploring the possibility of providing undergraduate and postgraduate training for scholarship students in nursing from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Discussions are ongoing and involve a range of stakeholders in the Education and Health sectors as well as contact with the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia.