David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1170. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the manner in which quotas for places on medical courses are set for EU and non-EU students; the way in which this is managed or altered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19429/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Fottrell Report, published in 2006, continues to provide the basis on which the level of provision in medical schools is determined. It specified that an intake of between 700 and 740 EU students per annum was required to move towards national self-sufficiency. This target marked a more than doubling of the number of EU students who were accepted in to medical schools at the time the report was published, and the higher education institutions are continuing to meet this targeted level of provision.

However, in light of the workforce needs of the health service, there are discussions ongoing between my Department, the Department of Health and the medical schools around significantly increasing the number of medical places available from the 2022/23 academic year onwards. These engagements are at an advanced stage.

There is no quota set on the number of places for non-EU students, as these students are not funded by the state or guaranteed access to HSE internships after graduating in the way that EU students are. The number of these students admitted each year is at the discretion of the medical schools, in line with their autonomy.