Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his engagement with colleges and universities to enable the provision of additional places in high demand courses. [23149/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has been engaging with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on an ongoing basis to determine the number of additional places that can be provided in high demand courses this year. There have also been a number of meetings on this between officials from my Department and representatives from the Irish Universities Association (IUA), the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) and TU Dublin.

I recently announced the creation of 1,250 places in high-demand courses in order to offset to pressures put on the higher education admissions system this year. I am currently actively engaging with higher education institutions on providing more places, and will provide further information in advance of CAO Round 1 offers being announced.