Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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483. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department and the Health Service Executive decided to change the selection system for medical interns in October 2015 to prioritise non-European Union students regardless of their academic achievement; if he will agree that this is very unfair to the past graduate non-European Union medical students who are completing their medical studies in 2016; if he will change this rule so that it will no longer apply to non-European Union medical students who are already in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14796/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In 2015 the HSE sought and received the approval of the Department of Health to changes in the selection system for medical interns taking up positions in July 2016. The HSE cannot provide places for all graduates and wished to focus on those who entered third level through the CAO system. However, the changes made would not have a significant impact on the access of non-European Union medical students already in the system to intern places. Only a small number of this cohort would have accessed intern places under the previous criteria. I have asked the HSE to revert to the Deputy on this matter.