Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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461. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of places in healthcare courses, including therapy places to support disability services, will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30813/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective.

The delivery of healthcare programmes is complex and there is a requirement for suitable practice education placements to support expansion. Officials are working closely together to maximise expansion in the immediate term.

There has been good progress made on expanding the number of places in these vital disciplines in recent years, and I want to build on this.

In September 2023, 462 permanent additional places were created in higher education institutions in the State which crossed a range of healthcare disciplines, including 255 places in Nursing as well as 20 places in Speech and Language Therapy, 24 places in Occupational Therapy, 60 places in Medicine, among other key areas. This represents meaningful additionality within existing infrastructure, and it comes on top of substantial expansion in nursing in recent years.

In addition, 80 additional allied health places were made available in Ulster University in September 2023. These places included 30 Physiotherapy places, 28 Occupational Therapy and 10 Speech and language therapy places. These students are undertaking their practice education placements in healthcare settings in Northern Ireland. 140 places in Nursing & Midwifery are also being funded across Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast. While these places were secured on a one-year basis, engagement is underway to extend the arrangements.

In February this year an agreement was reached with Queen’s University for the funding of 25 additional medical places in Queen’s from September 2024. An additional twenty five places will be available next year under the same arrangement. Students who take up one of these places will commit to applying and accepting, if offered, a position in the HSE as an intern at the end of their studies.

Tertiary programmes were launched last year which see students begin their programmes in further education colleges, and continue to complete their degree in a higher education institution. The application process is outside the CAO points system taking the pressure off Leaving Certificate results and provides a new pathway for entry to third level education.

Nursing tertiary programmes are available through ATU with the first intake of students on this programme from September 2023 with a total of 60 places available - 20 in each of the ATU’s campuses at ATU Donegal, St Angela’s in Sligo and ATU in Mayo

New programmes from September 2024 include a Bachelor of Science in Mental Health Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in General Nursing offered via Cork ETB, Kerry ETB and MTU Kerry. 18 places are available in Mental Health Nursing – 9 each in Cork and Kerry ETB and 30 in General Nursing – 15 each in Cork and Kerry ETB. A Bachelor of Science in Applied Health and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Health Promotion will also be offered through SETU and Kildare Wicklow ETB.

Intense work is ongoing with the Department of Health, HSE and higher education sector to deliver further additionality from September 2024.