Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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3358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department has reduced the points on the health professions admission test required for studying medicine (HPAT) from 300 to 150 points, and for the Leaving Certificate points from 565 to 625; the supports available for those unable to afford to pay privately up to €675 for a ten-week HPAT course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41805/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the administration of the HPAT.

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science understands that Irish universities with medical schools are modifying the calculation of points applied for admission through the Central Applications Office (CAO) to all Undergraduate (Direct Entry from School) Medicine programmes in Ireland. This change will come into effect for students seeking admission to undergraduate medicine degree programmes from August/ September 2027. The changes are as follows:

• Leaving Certificate scores above 550 points will no longer be moderated: full points scored by candidates will be applied in the calculation.
• Points scored in the HPAT assessment will be weighted to 150 maximum (down from 300 currently). HPAT results from a sitting in the year of admission to a medicine programme will continue to be a requirement.