Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
607. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the anticipated increase in Irish and European Union student places in both undergraduate and graduate entry medicine in the academic year 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9559/22]
View answerI recognise the critical importance of having a strong pipeline of healthcare graduates, and 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 in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services.
The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.
My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the current and long term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. One element of this engagement centres on increasing the number of places available in medicine for Irish and EU students, and discussion between my Department, the Department of Health and the medical schools are ongoing.
I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector.
