Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
610. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the situation of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9655/22]
View answerUniversities and institutes of technology are academically independent and have the right to determine the procedures and criteria for the selection and admission of students. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the higher education institutions. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO, and it is not within my remit to intervene in the admissions process.
Admissions under the alternative routes and schemes, including places for applications under further to higher education access routes are also regulated by the institutions themselves and not by my Department. Each higher education institution determines its own admission policy, the number of places they reserve for these routes and the allocation of those places. Further information for applicants presenting QQI FET/FETAC awards for higher education entry purposes, and information on the places available in nursing in particular, can be found on the CAO’s website at the following link: www.cao.ie/index.php?page=scoring&s=fetac
In both 2020 and 2021, additional places were made available on a range of higher education courses, including around 200 additional places on nursing and midwifery courses in 2021. My officials are currently engaging with the Higher Education Authority and representatives from the higher education sector on the provision of additional places for the coming academic year. It is the intention that there will be a focus on areas such as healthcare where there is a need for more skilled graduates, including in nursing.
In the longer term, 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 longer term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs.
