Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are currently no physiotherapy undergraduate courses in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5699/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such they are autonomous in relation to their administrative and academic affairs, and the courses offered by any institution, and the level at which they are offered, are a matter for the individual institutions to determine.

It is my understanding that while there are no physiotherapy courses offered at undergraduate level in County Cork, a masters in physiotherapy is offered in University College Cork. My department is engaging across government on workforce planning and will respond accordingly to any issues arising around skills needs and places available within our higher and further education institutions nationwide.