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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1970

Vol. 249 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Student Places.

27.

asked the Minister for Education how many students with the necessary qualifications failed to get places in the present year to start medicine; and what is the total number of qualified students in all faculties who failed to get places this year.

I have been informed by the university authorities that they are not in a position to give any exact information in relation to the matters raised in the Deputy's question. The reasons for this apparently are that many students apply for places in more than one college and that many others apply for admission to more than one faculty. I am assured that the task involved in endeavouring to secure exact information would produce insuperable difficulty.

Is the Minister not concerned to find out how many qualified students failed to get a place in universities? As Minister for Education is he not concerned to secure this information?

I have already explained that I have asked the institutions concerned to make this information available to me and that they say that it is not possible to do so.

Is the Minister stating that this is acceptable to him as Minister for Education?

Is the Minister aware that there is considerable disquiet in Galway in connection with the failure of a number of students to continue in the faculty of medicine? Does the Minister intend to make representations to the university authorities in Galway in connection with this matter?

That is a different question. There can be no question of providing places on an unlimited basis for those who wish to do medicine and I have stated that already. Regard must be had to normal requirements and the funds available.

This question is not confined to medicine.

Is the Minister stating that any of the medical education institutions have not got the figure of the number who have applied for admission?

That is not what the Minister said. The figures involved are not necessarily in relation to medicine. As far as I remember this question was in relation to all faculties.

Surely a list of applicants must be available to some authorities? The question has been raised already in this House that people from outside this country, from Canada, were securing places while Irish people were unable to enter the universities.

The Deputy has raised it often enough and I have given my answer to it.

It is a hopeless situation if the Minister for Education does not know the number of people who are failing to get places in Irish universities.

I have already explained the situation and the efforts I made to get this information.

Does the Minister accept that?

I accepted it in so far as it is understandable that students would apply to different universities and different faculties and that there would be duplication.

I am calling Question No. 28.

These students are not getting an education.

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