The Government will announce later that it is funding more college places for student nurses and other health professionals in Northern Ireland.
161 places will be made available in Ulster University at a cost of €9.5 million.
They will be for students from the Republic who want to train as nurses or in a range of associated disciplines such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech and language and radiotherapy.
Some of the courses are three years long, others are four.
Some of the placements come on stream in February 2025.
They will be funded out to 2028.
There are also 18 places for students resident in Northern Ireland. It is believed most have now been allocated.
It is the second time the Department of Health has funded student places in Northern Ireland universities.
Last year 250 were funded at a cost of €10m - the first time such an approach had been taken.
The Department of Health worked alongside its sister department in Stormont to deliver the initiative.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Minister Donnelly has made clear the need for Ireland to increase the number of healthcare graduates we have across all disciplines in order to meet the future health needs of our growing population."
The minister has called for a major increase in college places to meet anticipated demand for healthcare professionals.
