Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate nursing places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29302/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate dentist places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29303/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate psychology places by 10% based on the full economic costing and the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29305/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate counselling and psychology places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29306/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate speech and language therapy places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29307/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate physiotherapy places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29308/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate occupational therapy places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29309/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate pharmacy places by 10% based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29310/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate medical science places by 10% based on the full economic costing and the number of places that this would create for medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29311/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1226, 1227 and 1229 to 1235, inclusive, together.

The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances of the relevant Higher Education Institution. It is therefore not possible to definitively calculate the costs sought.

Full Economic Costing (FEC) data is produced by the university sector. It is an activity based costing model that aims to capture the full economic costs of teaching, research and other activities. It is important to note that Full Economic Costing (FEC) considers cost per FTE student per Subject Price Group within current levels of delivery. While the data provided can be useful indication of potential costs for providers it should not be considered as the definitive costs that would be associated with any increased provision.

Notwithstanding the above, to provide an indication of the potential costs associated with increased places the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has provided the below estimates based on current funding levels:

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate medical science is c.€530,000 - €640,000. This includes all full-time degree programmes where medical science and biomedical science is included in the title of the programmes. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable it estimated that, where medical science and biomedical science is included in the title of the programme, a 10% increase would create c.53 additional student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate pharmacy students is c.€700,000 - €840,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in pharmacy enrolments would create c.70 additional pharmacy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate occupational therapy students is c.€390,000 - €410,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in occupational therapy enrolments would create c.39 occupational therapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate physiotherapy students is c.€620,000 - €650,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in physiotherapy enrolments would create c.61 additional physiotherapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate speech and language therapy students is c.€350,000 - €370,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in speech and language therapy enrolments would create c.35 additional speech and language therapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students): the estimated cost of a 10% increase in undergraduate counselling students is c.200,000 – 210,000. This includes all full-time and part-time programmes where counselling is included in the title of the programmes. The estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate psychology students is c.€1,330,000 - €1,390,000. This includes all full-time Level 8 Honours Degree programmes where psychology is included in the title of the programme. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in psychology students would create c.195 additional psychology (undergraduate Level 8 honours degree programmes where psychology is included in the title of the programme) student places

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate psychology students is c.€1,330,000 - €1,390,000. This includes all full-time Level 8 Honours Degree programmes where psychology is included in the title of the programme. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in psychology students would create c.195 additional psychology (undergraduate Level 8 honours degree programmes where psychology is included in the title of the programme) student places

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in full-time undergraduate dentistry students is c.€830,000 - €1,100,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in dentistry enrolments would create c.28 additional dentistry student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the estimated cost of a 10% increase in nursing and midwifery students is c.€7,100,000 - €7,900,000. While the number of additional places for medicine is not applicable a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.714 additional nursing and midwifery student places.

Please note the above estimate excludes any additional costings which may be met by other agencies or departments.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing undergraduate medical science health and home-care assistant FETAC level 5 places by 10%, based on the full economic costing; the number of places that this would create; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29319/22]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing QQI FETAC level 5 major award in healthcare support or pre-nursing studies places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for healthcare assistants. [29925/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1239 and 1261 together.

SOLAS, the further education and training authority, has advised that it is currently supporting the provision of 15,892 places in health care courses in 2022 as follows:

It estimates that a 10% increase in these places, to 17,481, would cost an additional €4.3m based on the current course profiles.