Written answers

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Education Costs

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for medicine. [29910/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for nursing and midwifery for each specialism. [29912/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for dentistry. [29913/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for speech and language therapy. [29914/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for physiotherapy. [29915/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1252. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of places that this would create for occupational therapy. [29916/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1253. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for psychology. [29917/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1254. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for pharmacy. [29918/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for medical science. [29919/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for paramedicine/paramedical studies. [29920/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1257. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for clinical nutrition and dietetics. [29921/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for counselling and psychotherapy. [29922/22]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing Irish and European Union undergraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for social work. [29923/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1246, 1248, 1249, 1250, 1251, 1252, 1253, 1254, 1255, 1256, 1257, 1258 and 1259 together.

The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety of 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.

To provide the Deputy with an indication of the potential costs associated with increased places the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has provided the following estimate. 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 students (excluding Non-EU fee paying students) is c.156,000,000 – €188,000,000. This based on an average cost of €10,000 - €12,000 per student. Please note this estimate excludes any additional costings which may be met by other agencies or departments.

In terms of student numbers in the specific undergraduate courses queried the HEA provided the below estimates:

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments where Social Work (or equivalent) is included in the title of the programme (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.34 additional social work student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time and part-time enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students) where counselling and psychotherapy is included in the title of the programmes, a 10% increase would create c.25 additional student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate programmes where nutrition and dietetics is included in the title of the programmes, a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.128 additional nutrition and dietetic student places.

- Based on 2020/21 all full-time programmes where paramedic is included in the title of the programme, a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.36 additional student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU enrolments) 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), a 10% increase would create c.70 additional pharmacy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase 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), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.39 occupational therapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.61 additional physiotherapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.35 additional speech and language therapy student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.28 additional dentistry student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.714 additional nursing and midwifery student places.

- Based on 2020/21 full-time undergraduate enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), a 10% increase in enrolments would create c.347 additional undergraduate medicine student places.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of purchasing 50 additional places for Irish and European Union students on medicine courses. [29911/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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.

My Department acknowledges that the current funding levels are not sustainable for the provision of medical education. Extensive engagement is ongoing between my Officials, the Department of Health the HEA and the Medical Schools to formalise a sustainable approach to the provision of medical education including an expansion in the numbers of places. We expect to conclude this work shortly, and are committed to the provision of a significant number of additional places for September 2022.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing funded postgraduate places by 10% and the number of places that this would create for clinical psychology. [29924/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department allocates funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to designated HEIs. The HEA provides block grant funding to the Higher Education Sector, from within the allocation available, through the Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) which is driven by overall student numbers. The grant is allocated as a block grant and the internal allocation is a matter for each institution.

In terms of clinical psychology places, my Department understands there is a longstanding arrangement in place under which the HSE recruit Trainee Clinical Psychologists and sponsor their training in order to encourage employment with the HSE of suitably qualified professionals. This arrangement is made by the HSE and is not the responsibility of my Department. The question of any costs associated with increasing the number of such funded places are matters for consideration by the appropriate recruiting bodies.

In terms of student numbers, I can advise that, based on 2020/21 full-time postgraduate clinical psychology enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), the Higher Education Authority (HEA) estimate a 10% increase would create c.19 additional student places.

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