Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 483 of 8 December 2020, the way in which participation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds is facilitated for graduate medical programmes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44073/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. HEI are autonomous bodies and admissions to graduate medical programmes courses a matter for the institutions concerned.

Although students are liable to pay a tuition fee for a place on graduate entry medicine programmes, the State via the HEA provides a grant per student to HEIs (€11,200 in the 2019/20 academic year) towards the cost of the graduate entry medicine programme.

HEIs may also offer financial support for students on such courses e.g. an Atlantic Philanthropies-funded scholarship in UL for students who entered their undergraduate degree through an access route but this, along with overall admissions processes, is a matter for each HEI.

Students on graduate entry medicine courses may be eligible to apply to the Student Assistance Fund for financial support. The SAF guidelines provide that students with a previous higher education qualification at the same NFQ level, or who, in the past, attended higher education without ultimately obtaining a qualification, may be considered for support on a case-by-case basis and subject to available funding.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a commitment will be given to creating a targeted strategy for medicine due to the high level of inequality within the courses following from data released recently from the HEA which showed that in 2018 and 2019 only 4% of enrolments of students in medicine were from disadvantaged areas versus 35% of students from affluent areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44074/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The statistics the Deputy refers to comes from data recently published by the HEA on the socio-economic profile of higher education institutions. This is the second year that we have this data and builds on a report the HEA published last year. The data is of significant benefit for higher education institutions in terms of supporting them to implement a more targeted approach in their access and outreach strategies.

In addition, in 2021 work will commence on the development of the next National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education including new participation targets. The data in the HEA report will have a key role to play here and to both policymakers in terms of setting targets for the next National Access Plan and will be vital in showing progress achieved to date and setting ambitions for the future.

In relation to targeted strategies, the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) operated by HEIs supports students who have a socio-economic disadvantage to enter higher education, including medicine courses, on reduced points. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) is currently carrying out a review of the HEAR scheme.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the lack of payment for student nurses and midwives will result in nursing and midwifery studies becoming less desirable; his further views on whether healthcare courses should be made more attractive to study following from a global pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44075/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The payment of student nurses and midwives is a matter for the Department of Health.

As you know, student nurses and midwives were paid as healthcare assistants in the earlier part of the pandemic while clinical placements were suspended.

An initial assessment of student placements for nurses and midwives has been conducted. The Minister for Health has also stated that a short, time-limited examination will now be completed before the end of December in relation to the current allowances to 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students and the situation for 4th year students. He has said the review will be independently verified and will include engagement with representative organisations.

Following the initial assessment, there is now a specific exemption for student nurses and midwives, for which the Minister for Health secured Government approval, which entitles them to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) for the duration of their placements since they have not been able to work part time as they would have previously. These payments will be backdated to the start of their placements from September 2020.

I am not aware of any lack of desirability to undertake the educational processes necessary to graduate from nursing or midwifery degree courses, or wider healthcare courses.

A large number of students apply for places in healthcare courses each year through the CAO. Health and welfare is the most popular category of courses, with 15,300 CAO applicants placing a Health and Welfare course as their first preference choice on the CAO. However only 5,800 of these were successful in gaining a place in a health and welfare course, as entry to these courses is highly competitive and there is consistently high demand.

Table 1: CAO First preferences and acceptances by subject area, 2019

This is particularly true in the case of nursing and midwifery. As can be seen in the table below there are consistently many more applicants than places which would indicate that these professions are seen as highly desirable options for those entering higher education.

Table 2: First preference applications and net acceptances in CAO nursing and midwifery courses, 2015 - 2019

My Department is committed to the provision of graduates for the health service through undergraduate and postgraduate provision, with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce and allow for growth and upskilling in the future.

My Department is represented on the Cross-Departmental group on Workforce Planning and will engage with the group and the Department of Health as necessary to ensure the effective delivery of skilled personnel into the future.