Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Nursing Education

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if recently reported figures of 440 healthcare places in third-level included the approximately 50 private nursing placing introduced for the first-time in 2021 by a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40962/21]

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional nursing places that will be made available in the 2021-2022 academic year in public higher education institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40963/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1299 and 1300 together.

In light of high number of CAO applications this year, and the pressures faced by the Leaving Certificate students of 2021, my officials have been working with the HEA and the higher education institutions to identify where there is scope for additional places to be provided for the 2021/2022 academic year, including in nursing courses.

However there are real, material limits on the number of places in healthcare courses that can be provided due to the need to facilitate clinical placements for these students. My officials are engaging with the Department of Health on this in order to determine where there is capacity for additional placements for healthcare students within the health services.

All additional places under discussion are in HEA-funded institutions, and any additional capacity in the private higher education sector is a matter for those institutions.

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1301. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average annual cost of a nursing student in third-level; the average cost of providing a placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40964/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has a Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) which allocates core recurrent funding to institutions. The grant is allocated as a block recurrent grant and the internal allocation of this grant is a matter for each institution.

In the case of nursing students, State grant and fees are provided to Higher Education Instititutions from a separate ring-fenced allocation (i.e. nursing students are not included in the RGAM). The HEA currently pays a fee rate of €4,106 per eligible student and an average grant per student of c.€3,350.

The above figures exclude:

- the €3,000 student contribution

- any costs payable by the Exchequer for students eligible for SUSI grant supports

- any rostered placements salaries (the costs of this fall on the Dept Health/HSE).

- other costs that fall to the Dept. of Health/HSE.

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