Hundreds of new third level places for medicine, healthcare and veterinary medicine could be on the way, after the Higher Education Authority (HEA) found there is capacity in Ireland's third level institutions.
In a report for the Government, the HEA said that with investment, nearly 1,400 extra medical and veterinary professionals could be trained each year.
For some months and at the Government's request, the HEA has been assessing the possibilities of increasing training places for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and vets.
It sought expressions of interest from third level institutions and following analysis, has found capacity for an additional 208 places in medicine; 690 in nursing; 196 in pharmacy; 63 in dentistry and 230 in veterinary medicine.
The places would be spread across 11 higher education institutions, and many would come with the expansion of existing departments.
However, a number of institutions would open new facilities or departments.
They include remote graduate entry medicine in University of Galway, graduate nursing in University College Cork; pharmacy in the Atlantic Technological University and South East Technological University; dentistry in the Royal College of Surgeons and veterinary medicine in University of Limerick.
Confirmation of the new places remains subject to the required investment being forthcoming from Government.
The HEA has previously said the proposed expansion in places would be from the 2024-25 academic year onwards.
At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, the Government agreed to advance the proposals, with investment to be considered in the Budget process and the National Development Plan review.
Harris
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, held a joint press briefing about the proposed third level expansion in government buildings this afternoon.
Minister Harris said they asked the HEA to look at "where we could get to with education in healthcare and veterinary medicine over the next number of years".
"I'm really encouraged that 11 institutions across the country, some of the older traditional universities, some of our brand new technological universities have all come back with plans and ideas," Minister Harris said.
"You need to have those plans and those ideas and those strategies to then take it to the next phase, which is the engagement with the National Development Plan and capital funding.
"I think what is absolutely clear is that the third level sector and my own department is answering the question 'Can Ireland do more in these areas?' with a categoric 'yes'.
"We have the potential to provide more opportunities, to train more people to work in these crucial public service and this industry."
Minister Harris added: "We also have the potential to reduce the numbers of young Irish students who are going abroad every year at great cost and at great logistical difficulty no doubt.
"Some of our top performing students in the Leaving Cert still find themselves not able to get a place here.
"That's not good enough and that's what we need to try and fix."
Asked if the new places will result in a reduction in the required CAO point for courses, the Minister said it could happen.
"Last year we saw the CAO points stabilise, probably the first year since Covid, and slightly fall in some areas," he said.
"That likely to be the trend but when you get into specific courses you never do know."
McConalogue
Minister McConalogue said identfying where new capacity to train vets exist was an important step.
He said there are more vets than ever registered in Ireland - up 26% in the last five years.
The Minister said however that a significant part of that comes from overseas educated vets which amounted to 65% of new registrations over the last number of years.
The Minister said there is very clear demand for addtional places and it is something "we must be able to provide to students who want careers in this profession".
He said the next steps are engaging with Minister Harris's department and the Department of Public Expenditure, and the National Development Plan review process.
The Minister said they must first clarify how many vets places will be needed and then decide locations for those and put in place funding capacity to deliver them.
The HEA identified capacity for extra vet training in a number of third level colleges.
Some 50 extra places could be created by expanding the veterinary school in UCD, 90 places could be created in the University of Limerick through opening a new veterinary course there, and 40 extra places could be created in both the Atlantic Technological University and the South East Technological University.
INMO
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation welcomed the announcement that extra nursing and midwifery places are planned to come on stream.
The INMO called on the Ministers for Health and Higher Education to specify the timeline of introducing these new courses and additional places.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: "This is an important first step in doubling the number of publicly funded undergraduate training places.
"However, it is important to remember that those entering degree programmes in 2023 will only qualify in 2027, and that in the meantime, other measures need to be taken to reduce pressure on existing staff, to retain those who are already working there, and to encourage new students into the professions.
"We really need to ensure that we are supporting new trainees to stay in the Irish health service.
"At the moment we are looking at large numbers of nurses and midwives being trained in Ireland who do not see a future for themselves in a health service that's constantly struggling in terms of capacity."
