Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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280. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the financial struggles faced by students of graduate-entry medicine due to fees increases; the measures he is considering to alleviating these struggles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3320/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education. Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes.

Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses (including medicine courses). In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including previous education attainment.

Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is one of the pathways to study undergraduate medicine. One of the recommendations of the Fottrell report (2006) was the introduction of a new graduate entry medicine programme (GEM). Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants.

However, in order to widen access to GEM programmes, and give assistance towards the financial burden on each student pursuing these programmes, the fees of participating EU students are partly subsidised by the State via the HEA. Currently, the subsidy is €11,200 per student (2019/20 academic year) with the balance of fees payable by the student.

Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of academic affairs. They retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. The total level of fees to be charged in the case of GEM fees are therefore solely a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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281. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that certain higher education institutes, HEIs, are informing prospective students if they are residents in Northern Ireland that they may be subject to international fees; if a list of the HEIs taking this approach will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3352/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the principles associated with the Common Travel Area, students from Northern Ireland, and other parts of the United Kingdom, will not be liable for international fees, should they pursue their higher education studies in Ireland. They will be treated on the same basis as ‘home’ students in terms of fees.