Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places available for mature students on the various nursing courses in GMIT Castlebar; his plans to provide additional places for mature students on these courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13594/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The number of places set aside for mature students on the courses in question for 2018/19 are as follows:

- General Nursing - 4

- Psychiatric Nursing- 2

The current enrolment figures for mature students in both courses are documented in the following table.

Mature student enrolment figures for General and Psychiatric nursing in GMIT

It should be noted that while there are a specific number of places made available for mature students, there are also three separate entry routes for mature students, which can mean that the number of mature students on a course can exceed the number of places specifically set aside for mature students.

The three separate entry routes for mature students are as follows: 

1. Through the CAO using a previous qualification - Leaving Certificate, FETAC level 5 or 6 in competition with all other entrants on points. Places are awarded in August.

2. Through the CAO using the mature students route as a special category - (candidates must be 23 on 1 January in the year of entry to the course) applying through the CAO and filling in pages 3 & 4 of the application form.

a. Applicants who are 23 on 1 January in the year of entry are automatically called for interview in the disciplines they are called for and whichever campus they have applied for in May and assessed on the basis of:

i. previous education work,

ii. experience and demonstrated ability,

iii. competence to undertake the programme.

b. Candidates are ranked in order from the interviews and places will be awarded in July and August, through the CAO

3. Through successful completion of one of the Access courses run by both NUIG and GMIT followed by a mature student’s interview.

The National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015 - 2019) seeks to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in, and completing, higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland's population. This plan identifies 6 key target groups, one of which is first-time, mature student entrants, and contains actions to increase participation rates for this cohort.